KRS-One: Maximum Strength

Twelve tracks of social commentary and upliftment that features KRS at his activist best -- this is what Maximum Strength 2008 delivers. It's a call to look beyond status quo norms and take stock of individual actions. Rather than push massive change, The Teacher takes stances on community issues and describes how a little change in everyone can culminate into a revolution.

"All My Men," best exemplifies KRS-One's desire to reveal the right from the wrong. As expected from Kris, a high percentage of the album's material relates to the positive applications of hip-hop culture throughout its history. There are nods to Kool Herc, a shout to Busy Bee and a track called "Hip-Hop." The aforementioned song is about unifying the community, which KRS, with his Temple of Hip-Hop, has always done. And though it is inevitable that his politics is sometimes visceral, he manages to project a universal message and, once again, clearly define the reasoning behind his belief in the power of hip-hop. It should be no surprise that he's pretty convincing.

The reverence for hip-hop shown by KRS never ceases to refresh. His understanding of hip-hop's elements -- how they co-exist, how the rapper and DJ pace the breaker etc -- is displayed throughout Maximum Strength. So of course there is a bevy of references to the birthplace of hip-hop and the borough he's repped his entire career -- the Bronx. "New York" is KRS' portrait of the city. He shouts out NY's neighborhoods, reveling how his hometown molded his outlook and personality. This track is the slowest jam on the record and the change of pace gives an epochal aura to the track.

Production is solid throughout Maximum Strength. KRS-One's backdrops are handled mostly by Duane "DAROCK" Ramos. Beatsmith Oh-No also comes through to produce "Kool Herc," a minute long ode to rocking the parks. The melding of boom bap and a sprinkle of Caribbean flavors throughout the record works well for the rap veteran. He keeps the party rocking, while seamlessly sparking your intellect.

As a collection of unreleased tracks, there are some references that seem dated. Yet, through it all, KRS always manages to make rap music that doesn't just hit an ephemeral moment. So, the strength of his records remains consistent whenever heard. With few rappers reaching a point where their music stands the test of time, each and every KRS-One release breeds hope into the credence that hip-hop will never die.

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