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 Post subject: Cornel West - Never Forget
PostPosted: Fri Aug 24, 2007 10:43 pm 
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I've got a lot of reservations about this, especially since I've heard some of his "band" before, but there's a lot of guests on here making me curious, not the least of which is Prince.
Quote:
01. Bushonomics (Feat. Talib Kweli) 03:31
02. America (400 Years) 04:32
(Feat. IRIZ, Lucky Witherspoon,
Black Though & Rah Digga)
03. Still Here 04:51
(Feat. Ambassador & Paul Woodruff)
04. Dear. Mr. Man (Feat. Prince) 04:09
05. 911 03:15
06. The-N-Word 12:07
(Feat. Tavis Smiley & Michael Eric
Dyson)
07. Welcome 2 The Chi 04:13
(Feat. Rhymefest, Malik Yusef &
Neo Abyss)
08. Mr. President (Feat. KRS ONE & M1) 04:37
09. Keep'in It P.I. 06:14
(Feat. Lucky Witherspoon, Doey Rock
& Killer Mike)
10. Chronomentrophobia 02:42
(Feat. Andre 3000)
11. What Time It Is (Feat. Jill Scott) 03:18
12. Soul Sista (Feat. Darryl Moore) 05:06
13. America (400 Years) (Reprise) 01:38
14. Everthing Gone Be Alright 07:27
(Feat. Dave Hollister & Chuckii
Booker)
15. Man Gonna Getcha 05:05
(Feat. Gerald Levert & Waynee Wayne)
(Bonus Track)
16. What A Matter Of 04:52
(Feat. Lenny Williams) (Bonus Track)


Release Notes:
Anything put together by Dr. Cornel West is best listened to with your thinking cap on. The album Never Forget: A Journey of Revelations (Hidden Beach) is a trek through a level of consciousness usually reserved for a higher plateau of understanding. Concepts of crime, poverty and government corruption come to life at the tongues of some of music's most prolific performers.

Talib Kweli further solidifies his place in the hall of fame of lyrical geniuses on the song "Bushonomics." Each sentence will evoke wheels to involuntarily turn in your head as he spits lines like, "Revolution requires participation but sometimes people be hesitating." Soft piano keys compliment rather than down play the message. The uniqueness of this track is that upon closer listen, you will find that both Talib and West (who offers his own words on Hip-Hop's true meaning of freedom rather than money cars and chains) are in the business of uplifting. Instead of merely preaching about what is wrong with the state of black America, intricate word play unveils a deeper meaning that can most easily be found in the chorus line:"It's like a jungle sometimes, I'm at the front of the line, I aint trippin' but I stumble sometime. Then I get right back up."

Throughout the record many tracks make for an unlikely teaming between Cornel West and artists from both the Hip-Hop and the R&B/ Soul world. As each artist speaks their peace, West speaks his. Of course his words do not come in the form of a rap but instead are delivered via powerful spoken word messages.

Of the most exciting features on the album is the song "Dear Mr. Man" with Prince. Yes, Prince. The song is throwback to Prince during his days of publicly expressing his dislike against his label by writing the word "Slave" on his cheek. While it has nothing to do with the record industry (specifically), the message is rooted in Prince's funky way of using his electric guitar to get any point across. "Dear Mr. Man, we don't understand why folks keep struggling, but you donĂ­t lend a helping hand." The smoother than smooth horns and snare beat will give you goose bumps yet hold you just long enough to get a message to your ears.

The use of the N-Word is brought to the forefront by the track of the same name. Due to the controversy surrounding this subject it's fitting that the topic is discussed between West, Michael Eric Dyson, and Tavis Smiley. Though they differ in opinion on aspects of the word's use, this is far from verbal sparring. While Dyson acknowledges West's thoughts towards the degradation of the n-word no matter who uses it, he also speaks to how many believe that the difference in spelling changes the words meaning.

Other tracks feature a fluid flow by Rhymfest on "Welcome to Chi" as well as Jill Scott's "What Time it Is," which of course has nothing to do with a clock. Never Forget: A Journey of Revelations is among Dr. Cornel West's most powerful work because it reaches a demographic that may not be familiar with his books or other professional work. Instead of placing a barrier against the Hip-Hop community, he has joined it. Proving not only that he is a genius, but that the same community that gets so much flack for a lack of substance in their music, is not turning a blind eye to the injustices taking place daily in America.
o


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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Sat Aug 25, 2007 11:57 am 
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Go Platinum
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Posts: 8062
Location: yer ma
my interest is piqued

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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Sat Aug 25, 2007 12:23 pm 
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frostingspoon
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Joined: Mon Oct 25, 2004 1:48 pm
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I am terrified. what the hell is this? that blurb was way too long. boil it.


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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Sat Aug 25, 2007 1:55 pm 
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Whiskey Tango
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This guy has no beer Wrote:
I am terrified. what the hell is this? that blurb was way too long. boil it.


I didn't need to read it to know that it is music written to make me feel bad about myself.

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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Sat Aug 25, 2007 6:11 pm 
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Alcoholic National Treasure

Joined: Mon Oct 25, 2004 6:12 pm
Posts: 17155
This guy has no beer Wrote:
I am terrified. what the hell is this? that blurb was way too long. boil it.

I mentioned Prince was on it, didn't I? and KRS? and... um, Gerald Levert?


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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Sun Sep 02, 2007 11:02 pm 
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Go Platinum
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Location: yer ma
here's a link.

Code:
http://rapidshare.com/files/51936466/AJOR.txt


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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Tue Sep 04, 2007 11:21 am 
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Go Platinum
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this is pretty good, actually.


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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Sun Sep 23, 2007 4:09 pm 
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Post-Breakup Solo Project
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Joined: Wed Jul 13, 2005 12:40 am
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I don't believe this.


Is it good? I got a Cornel West anthology and it was good for a while and then I just started losing patience with it. It's a huge book. huge


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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Mon Oct 22, 2007 10:06 pm 
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Acid Grandfather
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Joined: Tue Jan 04, 2005 6:03 pm
Posts: 4144
Location: Santa Cruz, CA
Yeah, reading, old fashioned. Hate that reading.


Cornel West is the dude. Should be president. The blue note matters.

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