You know why nobody ever considers any rap albums to be extremely great solid pieces of works? It’s because of the skits. Man, how many rap albums have their flow completely butchered by a badly placed skit. Kanye West’s Late Registration for example had a series of useless skits on it, sure they’re funny the first time you listen to them, but then you just skip over them. It’s pointless; whoever originated the idea of it needs a beating. What does this have to do with Cyne’s Evolution Fight? Well, they don’t really have any skits on this album. That’s why I can find myself listening to it over and over again, as an album. I don’t have to deal with any stupid jokes, or pointless conversations, I just get to deal with some great music. Consisting of two producers and two rappers, Cyne is a rap group that has gotten some press for the ability to combine the political aspects of groups such as Public Enemy and also lyrics about love and more personal issues to their repertoire. Although there are no skits on this album there are a few interludes embedded in a few of the tracks, but they really don’t interfere with the flow of the album they actual increase it. Cyne combination of two rappers and two producers also probably has something to do with their array of influences and ability to combine them into a great rap album.
The amount of diversity in this album is essential to its success. Unlike most rap albums released in today’s music industry, it’s not a few singles with a bunch of fat attached. Every track has a different feel starting with the beat. Whether it is the trumpet samples the start off the CD in blazing glory on the track “Plight About Now” or the choirs that create a preachy mood around the track “Up Above”. Cyne’s combination of two different producers really gives each track its own unique feel not to mention the fact that the lyrical content ranges from relating the philosophy of Rousseau into modern terms to the criticism of America’s search for oil. The distinction between the flow of the two rappers in the group is very large, one seems to have a deeper voice and a more laid back flow, where as the other member is a bit more high-pitched and a lot more aggressive in his flow at points. Still, to say aggressive is kind of a lie because this is an extremely laid back album. With lyrics like “My life ain’t ever easy, My girlfiend’s going to leave me, Who scratched my Nas CD?”, it’s obvious that even though Cyne has a massive political undertone to most of their tracks they’re also willing to stretch out and being a little humorous. Another example of this unique humor is the intro to Rappin’ which has a short quote from Mr. T which ends with “Me, now open the door and listen to what I got to say." Basically Evolution Fight is one of the few rap albums I have heard that is able to connect humor, political criticism, and tight production into an overall package that is both intelligent and entertaining.
Evolution Fight is one of the most solid and original rap albums of the last couple years. The only two albums I see rivaling it’s position are Binary Star’s Masters of the Universe and MF Doom’s MM.. Food. Both of those albums seem to fall into the problem of not being as concise and great as Evolution Fight though. Being only fourty five minutes Evolution Fight is a pretty quick rap album that basically hits you the same way for its entirety. There are no weak moments in this album and if you want to see what underground rap and for that matter rap as a genre is really about I suggest you give this album a try. (Recommended tracks = Rousseau, Arrow of God, Moonlight)
i have wastelands vol 1 and that's killer but this seems to be the group's apex in quality from what I've heard
