Blackalicious
Blazing Arrow
Rare & Collectible Vinyl Records

Blackalicious

Blazing Arrow
Sealed 2020 limited edition 2LP reissue from Vinyl Me, Please. Housed in a resealable outer sleeve with hype sticker. Pressed on Red & Yellow "Blazing Galaxy" vinyl. "The late '90s ushered in a second golden age of progressive hip-hop, as a group of ambitious young lions rose from the underground to redefine the art of lyrical technique and revive the idea that hip-hop had relevant statements to make. With their 2000 debut album, Blackalicious established themselves as one of the West Coast's top outfits in this vein, and while it was very good, their follow-up, Blazing Arrow, is simply fantastic, vaulting the duo to the forefront of the progressive hip-hop pack. Much of Blazing Arrow retains NIA's airy, laconic feel, but the group's sense of craft has improved to a startling degree; the hooks are sharper and more plentiful, Gift of Gab's rhymes are denser, Chief Xcel's production is more breathtakingly lush, and his arrangements more sophisticated. What's more, the tracks draw from a rich sonic palette -- not just the expected jazz-funk and old-school influences, but straight pop (check the Nilsson sample on the title track) and smooth soul (particularly the Philly variety, but also the contemporary neo-soul revival) in particular. In spite of the duo's intellectual bent, the grooves on Blazing Arrow exude a tremendous warmth that's only complemented by the positivity of their messages. And if Gift of Gab wasn't recognized among hip-hop's premier lyricists before, he certainly ought to be now; his raps are jam-packed with internal rhymes, allusions, metaphors, ten-cent words, and amazing tongue-twisting feats of skill. Guests include members of Jurassic 5, Dilated Peoples, and Latyrx (all worthy company), not to mention singer/songwriter Ben Harper, Zack de la Rocha (Rage Against the Machine), and the legendary Gil Scott-Heron. All the pieces add up to not just one of the best rap albums of 2002, but one of the richest, most captivating albums to emerge from hip-hop's artsy new underground." All Music Guide - Steve Huey

$60.00 $55.00
In Stock
  • Artist: Blackalicious
  • Genre: Hip Hop
  • Type: Colored Vinyl - New
  • Catalog ID: VMP-RH-031
  • Condition:
    Vinyl:
    Mint (M)
    Sleeve:
    Near Mint (NM or M-)
  • Country ID: US
  • SKU: 186394

Track List

Release Part 1, 2, & 3
A1 Introduction: Bow And Fire
A2 Blazing Arrow
A3 Sky Is Falling
A4 First In Flight
A5 Green Light: Now Begin
A6 4000 Miles
B1 Nowhere Fast
B2 Paragraph President
B3 It's Going Down
B4 Make You Feel That Way
C1 Brain Washers
C2 Chemical Calisthenics
C3 Aural Pleasure
C4 Passion
D1 Purest Love
D2a Part 1
D2b Part 2
D2c Part 3
D3 Day One