...terrible). Let's just say that 8Off/Agallah took a hint when he finally gave some thought to what people were saying about his rap skills...he's an exceptional producer and that's where he should've been all along: behind the boards, although he still goes "in the booth" at times on the album.
Actually, I don't really know what to say about Agallah. You can literally trace him from 1996-Present. As 8Off, he was a quirky rapper (I don't even know what stilo the kid was on back then), then around 1999/2000, he went to the whole "indie/backpacker" thing when he did some work for Game Recordings, and now he's Agallah, the "Don Bishop" and Dipset Purple City Byrdgang member?!?! It's kind of like watching Mos Def becoming the thugged out type...I guess. Whatever the case is and all strangeness of Agallah's transformation(s) aside, he doesn't suck on the mic, but he's not good either.
Shiest Bub is ALL OVER this album and should be ashamed of himself. Lyrically, dude is straight ASS. And like Guru said, "...it's not all about the lyrics...you've gotta have the voice..." Shiest Bub has some weird undescribable voice and his toddler-elementary lyrics are so wack...man, dude makes me laugh out loud on some of the tracks. Shiest Bub SUCKS, period. And it's really disappointing that he didn't get behind the boards like he did for Jim Jone's new album (Bub produced the exquisite "Harlem" on 'Diary of A Summer').
While some beats aren't as good as others, the bangers stick out like a sore thumb. If you liked the Heatmakerz when they were hot about 3-4 years ago, you'll absolutely LOVE tracks like "Winning" (sounds like something off a movie soundtrack), "Me & U", and "Will Not Lose" (with the first two being produced by Agallah). Top quality.
FINAL NOTES: As the title of the album states, this is a "Best Of" collection of various songs featured on different Purple City mixtapes, which makes the album a mixtape in of itself. What does all that mean? Don't expect any continuity, fluidity, and expect to waddle through crap to get to the goods (just like on a mixtape). This is a good CD for the beats, though. If you can find this anywhere (I'm talking about a physical store, not online), you're going to be hard pressed to find this. Don't buy it at full price -- you'll be pissed. Instead, burn it, get it from a friend, or whatever. Peace.
Average customer rating:
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Road to the Riches
Kool G Rap & DJ Polo
Manufacturer: Warner Bros / Wea
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD
General
| R&B
| Styles
| Music
East Coast
| Rap & Hip-Hop
| Styles
| Music
Gangsta & Hardcore
| Rap & Hip-Hop
| Styles
| Music
General
| Rap & Hip-Hop
| Styles
| Music
Similar Items:
- Wanted: Dead or Alive
- Taste of Chocolate
ASIN: B00000DRUP
Release Date: 1990-10-25 |
Tracks:
- Road to the Riches
- It's a Demo
- Men at Work
- Truly Yours
- Cars
- Trilogy of Terror
- She Loves Me, She Loves Me Not
- Cold Cuts
- Rhymes I Express
- Poison
- Butcher Shop
Average customer rating:
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Road to the Riches
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD
General
| Dance & DJ
| Styles
| Music
General
| Rap & Hip-Hop
| Styles
| Music
ASIN: B000HXE2BI
Release Date: 2007-01-16 |
Average customer rating:
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Road to Riches
Manufacturer: Get Rich
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD
General
| Rap & Hip-Hop
| Styles
| Music
ASIN: B000CA7BT6
Release Date: 2005-03-08 |
Average customer rating:
- Here We Go, Let's Go with the Flow.
- The first of MANY lyrical gems from the Don G. Rap
- One OF the Greatest
- DAMN NEAR 5 STAR RECORD
- An on-point album from a pure hip-hop artist
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Road to the Riches
Kool G Rap & DJ Polo
Manufacturer: Cold Chillin Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD
General
| Soul
| R&B
| Styles
| Music
East Coast
| Rap & Hip-Hop
| Styles
| Music
Gangsta & Hardcore
| Rap & Hip-Hop
| Styles
| Music
General
| Rap & Hip-Hop
| Styles
| Music
Pop Rap
| Rap & Hip-Hop
| Styles
| Music
Similar Items:
- Live and Let Die
- Wanted: Dead or Alive
- Runaway Slave
- Killer Kuts
- Return of the Boom Bap
ASIN: B0000010EC
Release Date: 1995-10-17 |
Tracks:
- Road To The Riches
- It's A Demo
- Men At Work
- Truly Yours
- Cars
- Trilogy Of Terror
- She Loves Me, She Loves Me Not
- Cold Cuts
- Rhymes I Express
- Poison
- Butcher Shop
Customer Reviews:
Here We Go, Let's Go with the Flow........2005-04-24
All biases aside, G Rap is one of the top five greatest emcees of all time. He brought to hip-hop a style so Kool (if I may) that everyone wanted to be him. The only problem was that he was way too ahead of his time for the mainstream exposure in 1988. He was real. The Kool Genius of Rap painted a perfect picture of the struggle, whether it be crime, love, politics, or money, and did it sounding like a true veteran with untouchable street smarts and an ever loquacious personality. The vocabulary he used was articulate, but not pretentious, and was always putting together crazy tales of life on the other side of town. He ORIGINATED the Costa Nostra Mafioso style in hip-hop, and to this day he did it better than anyone.
G Rap's legacy starts with "Road to the Riches", and it sets the tone for the next two classics that follow. Through each album, his skills improve immensely and he flawlessly masters being a true gangsta documentarian. Each installment to this classic trilogy builds on concepts, style, inventive production, and Kool straight up ripping the mic in half and giving it a new name. "Road to the Riches", his debut has that classic 88 sound, Marley Marl's timeless production mastery, and G Rap hungry as hell to make a name for himself. There is just a feeling on this album that trumps his two proceeding efforts. He does perfect his lispy delivery and content with time, but the truths and vibes that "Road to the Riches" passes off is a sound that is never revisited during his career (the fact that Marl produced all 47 minutes of it is probably why). But, in all aspects (even Cars) this album is a beautiful thing.
It's a shame how slept-on G Rap was and is by the masses, it seems he never gets mentioned along with the upper-echelon of the greatest emcees of all time. He not only pioneered a sub-culture so replicated (never duplicated) in hip-hop, he also was a personality of unique and legendary proportions. Kool never went Gold, never had big transcending fame, but the true students of the game all know that The Kool Genius of Rap could not be stopped in his prime. If you don't know, buy his catalog immediately, and realize how influential and magnetizing this guy really is.
The first of MANY lyrical gems from the Don G. Rap.......2004-04-16
Many say that Kool G. Rap was ahead of his time. I SLIGHTLY agree with that, but aside from Slick Rick, in 88, this MC possessed something that others didn't have at the time: a knack for storytelling, and just like Slick Rick, G. Rap did it with supreme innovation and style. His first album, Road To The Riches, is the very beginning of this great. Basically pioneering the "Don" element in hip hop, this album set off G.Rap in the world of hip hop, and he immediately set precedence with this album. Here's the review:
Album Highlights: Road To The Riches, Men At Work, Trilogy of Terror, Butcher Shop, It's A Demo, Poison, and Truly Yours.
Production: Thumbs up. Handled marvelously by Marley Marl.
Lyrics and Subject Matter: Thumbs way way up. This man comes NICE with his flow.
Originality: Thumbs up.
The Last Word: While this album does have some filler(Cars, She Loves Me...., etc), I can't in good conscience give this album 5 stars. But on the strength of the highlights of the album, it's enough for just 4 stars. Kool G. Rap would prove he can get better as the years went on, and he certainly did. Overall, I strongly recommend this album.
One OF the Greatest.......2002-06-21
This album will make real hip hop heads smile for days. G Rap's vocals are amazing, Marley's beats are dope! This album was obviously made back when skills still mattered and rap wasn't all about image and marketing. Pick up this, Ultramag's Critical Beatdown, The Great Adventures of Slick Rick, and Criminal Minded by BDP, and give yourself an education in how great hip hop can be. This album is required listening for real hip hop heads!
DAMN NEAR 5 STAR RECORD.......2000-03-21
BY FAR THE BEST RECORD TURNED OUT BY G RAP AND POLO, THIS ALBUM FALLS JUST SHORT OF FIVE STARS. KOOL G RAP HAS CLEAR, CONCISE, VERBALLY INTACT RHYMES THAT FLOW ON AND ON AND POLO RIPS IT UP ON THE WHEELS OF STEEL. "SHE LOVE'S ME" IS THE ONLY REAL BLEMISH ON THIS ALBUM. AFTER THIS ALBUM, IT GETS QUESTIONABLE FOR G RAP AND POLO. IF YOU'D TUSSLE AROUND WITH PAMELA ANDERSON EVEN THOUGH SHE HAD A LITTLE BLEMISH ON HER RUMP (SHE LOVE'S ME...SHE LOVE'S ME NOT), YOU NEED TO CHECK THIS RECORD OUT. IT'S PRACTICALLY A CLASSIC!
An on-point album from a pure hip-hop artist.......1999-05-31
This was G Rap's first album, and it's good.Marly Marl's production is good, and very original. Kool G Rap rips it on several tracks, the rest a little slower. The main problem is that some of the "slower" tracks are too boring. "She Loves Me, She Loves Me Not" is an example of the type of track that fails to keep your attention. All in all, it could be better, but many of the tracks are great.
Average customer rating:
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Road to Riches
Suga Bear
Manufacturer: Big L
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD
General
| Rap & Hip-Hop
| Styles
| Music
Pop Rap
| Rap & Hip-Hop
| Styles
| Music
General
| Rap & Hip-Hop
| Indie Music
| Stores
| Music
ASIN: B00004RDKL
Release Date: 2000-02-15 |
Tracks:
- Intro Big Block Family
- Neck Of Tha Woods
- Thought It Was Safe
- Ten 4 One
- Evil Ass Intentions
- Boys Lost
- Road To Riches
- Comin Out Tha Cuts
- Break Bread
- Million 2 A Billion
- Suspects
- Grave Yard Shift
- Stop Slangin & Bangin
- Outro
Average customer rating:
- Arguably the dopest rapper with a lisp. Sorry E Double.............
- truly superb
- Definite must-have for hip hop purists
- when G.Rap strikes the mic, i recite the type of hype that you like, that make the people unite...
- MUSTHAVE!
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Road to the Riches/Wanted: Dead or Alive
Kool G Rap & DJ Polo
Manufacturer: Landscape Germany
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD
East Coast
| Rap & Hip-Hop
| Styles
| Music
Gangsta & Hardcore
| Rap & Hip-Hop
| Styles
| Music
General
| Rap & Hip-Hop
| Styles
| Music
Pop Rap
| Rap & Hip-Hop
| Styles
| Music
General
| Rap & Hip-Hop
| Indie Music
| Stores
| Music
Rap & Hip-Hop
| Imports
| Stores
| Music
Similar Items:
- Long Live the Kane
- Roots of Evil
- Let the Rhythm Hit 'Em
- Don't Sweat the Technique
- Ghetto Music: The Blueprint of Hip Hop
ASIN: B00005LMO3
Release Date: 2001-06-26 |
Tracks:
- Road To The Riches
- It's A Demo
- Men At Work
- Truly Yours
- Cars
- Trilogy Of Terror
- She Loves Me, She Loves Me Not
- Cold Cuts
- Rhymes I Express
- Poison
- Butcher Shop
Tracks:
- Streets Of New York
- Wanted Dead Or Alive
- Money In The Bank
- Bad To The Bone
- Talk Like Sex
- Play It Again Polo
- Erase Racism
- Kool Is Back
- Play It Kool
- Death Wish
- Jive Talk
- The Polo Club
- Rikers Island
Customer Reviews:
Arguably the dopest rapper with a lisp. Sorry E Double....................2006-12-30
Kool G Rap to me vocally is a mix of Big Daddy Kane and Erick Sermon's lisp. He had some good joints but at his best he was a B List rapper, when compared to Kane and Rakim.
Top Joints:
Road to Riches
Truly Yours
Streets of NY (Classic)
Talk Like Sex
Death Wish
Erase Racism
Play It Again Polo
Rikers Island
truly superb.......2006-07-03
simply the best you can get by Kool G Rap & Dj Polo and almost the best you can get from Hip-Hop.
ROAD TO THE RICHES (produced by Marley Marl)
Road to the riches: brilliant beat and lyrics that will suck you into their world (5 stars)
It's a demo: G Rap & Polo's first single, but this is not the original version, which unfortunately is far better (4 stars)
Men at work: true hardcore (5 stars)
Truly yours: mocking and a bit arrogant (5 stars)
Cars: brilliant sample and rap (5 stars)
Trilogy of terror: very good but a bit short maybe (4,5 stars)
She loves me, she loves me not: G rap demonstrates he's not afraid of speaking about his weaknesses, too. a very frank cut (5 stars)
Cold cuts: some room to let Polo display his great turn-table's skills (5 stars)
Rhymes I express: the only average cut (4 stars)
Poison: ferocious rhymes and great scratches on the hook (5 stars)
Butcher shop: incredible bass line!! (5 stars)
WANTED: DEAD OR ALIVE (produced by G Rap, Eric B, Dj Polo, Large Pro and Marl on the last cut)
Streets of new york: real and raw street narrative (5 stars)
Wanted dead or alive: ferocious rap once again (5 stars)
Money in the bank: ft\ Large pro, anton & freddie foxxx, but the hook is a bit repetitive (4 stars)
Bad to the bone: classic eric B's beat, the bassline is amazingly fat! (5 stars)
Talk like sex: funny, tough, noisy. (5 stars)
Play it again polo: not that something (3 stars)
Erase racism: ft\ Biz Markie & Big Daddy Kane nuff said (5 stars)
Kool is back: G rap's shows a superhuman breath-control and Polo scratches with fury(5 stars)
Play it kool: the same brilliant Kool G Rap's flow, but this time the hook is very weak (3 stars)
Death wish: g rap's voice turns raucous on this, which is cool, too bad the beat is not very original (3 stars)
Jive talk: g rap drops a freestyle (4 stars)
The polo club: the worst track of the album (2 stars)
Rikers island: a bit repetitive, and what happened to G rap's voice?
the last 3 tracks are not as good as the rest but this double album is indeed worth owning. you won't be disappointed
Definite must-have for hip hop purists.......2006-06-15
If you feelin' artists like Kane, Rakim, Nas, Jay-Z, Scarface,(some TuPac & Biggie), AZ, Common and Mos Def, you gotta have this LP to complete your collection.
Kool G. Rap is the OG in hip hop for all-time!
Highly recommended purchase!
when G.Rap strikes the mic, i recite the type of hype that you like, that make the people unite..........2005-09-08
KOOL G. RAP displays one the greatest rhymes performances on record, only a close 2nd to RAKIM's Follow the Leader LP, on "WANTED DEAD OR ALIVE." On the "ROAD TO THE RICHES" LP "Men @ Work" may be the greatest 30 bar rhyme segment ever recorded. The only dude that was better was RAKIM. PEACE.
I write because I suffer, Inc.
MUSTHAVE!.......2004-06-09
Simply put: If you are a hip-hop connoisseur, and you do not have this in your collection, you are a fool, and you need to step your game up real quick! Road to the Riches and Wanted and Dead or Alive in the same package? These classics are from hip-hop's golden era that introduces you to the Large Professor and Freddie Foxxx (Money in the Bank) and the slept-on Erase Racism (BDK and BizMarkie) to name a few. For all the WHBI heads out there, you know that Riker's Island was the jumpoff. Absolutely a MUSTH HAVE!
Average customer rating:
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Road to the Riches: The Best of the Purple City Mixtapes
Purple City
Manufacturer: Babygrande Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD
General
| Soul
| R&B
| Styles
| Music
East Coast
| Rap & Hip-Hop
| Styles
| Music
Gangsta & Hardcore
| Rap & Hip-Hop
| Styles
| Music
General
| Rap & Hip-Hop
| Styles
| Music
Southern Rap
| Rap & Hip-Hop
| Styles
| Music
Pop Rap
| Rap & Hip-Hop
| Styles
| Music
ASIN: B0007WQGRM
Release Date: 2005-03-22 |
Tracks:
- The Road To Riches Intro
- Piff Iz Da Answer
- Winning
- Purple City Byrdgang
- Insight With Panchi (Skit)
- Me & U
- It Ain't Easy
- Broadway
- Will Not Lose
- Insight With Panchi II (Skit)
- Copz Iz Coming
- Real *%#@!$
- A Part Of History
- Insight With Panchi III (Skit)
- Roll It Up, Light It Up
- America Show
- A Star
- The Accident (Skit)
- Late Night
- Gun Go
- Come 2 Get Ya
Average customer rating:
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Road to the Riches/Wanted Dead
Kool G. Rap , and DJ Polo
Manufacturer: Landspeed Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD
General
| Rap & Hip-Hop
| Styles
| Music
ASIN: B00005J71G
Release Date: 2001-06-26 |
Tracks:
- Road To The Riches
- It's A Demo
- Men At Work
- Truly Yours
- Cars
- Trilogy Of Terror
- She Loves Me, She Loves Me Not
- Cold Cuts
- Rhymes I Express
- Poison
- Butcher Shop
Tracks:
- Streets Of New York
- Wanted Dead Or Alive
- Money In The Bank
- Bad To The Bone
- Talk Like Sex
- Play It Again Polo
- Erase Racism
- Kool Is Back
- Play It Kool
- Death Wish
- Jive Talk
- The Polo Club
- Rikers Island
Amazon.com
Continuing its series of essential re-releases from the Cold Chillin' catalog, Landspeed Records has issued two of Kool G. Rap and DJ Polo's best albums in a double-CD package. For those who don't know, world-famous Juice Crew member Kool G. Rap ruled the East Coast hard-rock roost during the late '80s. He can be considered a godfather of Biggie, Nas, and other young rappers who've since become hooked on Mafia-inflected mobphonics. Road to the Riches, first released in 1989, contains 11 adrenalized tracks, five of which are must-have joints. "It's a Demo," "Men at Work," and "Poison" were big-time New York club hits when the record first dropped. "Truly Yours" is a classic dis record and "Road to the Riches" is the song that Biggie reworked into a three-part ode to Cali beats. Wanted Dead or Alive contains more filler than thriller, but the hits spawned off of this album were brilliant. "Streets of New York" is a gritty tale of urban realism, "Rikers Island" breaks it down for the jail cats, and the nasty and naughty "Talk Like Sex" is the song that Chris Rock reworked and performed in the movie CB4. --Rebecca Levine
Rap Music:
- Ryde or Die, Vol. 2 [Clean]
- Savage Intelligence
- Sei Felice? [Import]
- Sex und Andere Todesursachen [Import]
- SH03 [Explicit Lyrics]
- Shop with Me [Explicit Lyrics]
- Smile Now...Die Later [Explicit Lyrics]
- Southern Warrior
- Southern XXX-Posure [Explicit Lyrics]
- Spankmaster [Explicit Lyrics]
Rap Music
rap music
Recommended Music:
This Is the New Shit [Enhanced] [Limited Edition] [Import]
March Classics
Phases and Stages
Music CD: Estrellas del Fonografo
Natural Millionaire [CD-single] [Import]
Mambo Sangria
Marseille 1921-1951
Nights Are Forever
Just Like Bruce Lee [CD-single] [Import]
Nessun Dorma; Roberto Alagna
One Way of Life: Best of [Import]
Milord [Import]
Los Grandes de la Musica
Buxtehude: Geistliche Kantaten
In Flight