My Bass Rocks

Let’s face it…It’s been a long minute since we heard any new material from Large Pro.  While his recent material has been solid for the mosr part, he’s been lacking that spark that made him so dominant in the early 90′s (Breaking Atoms, Illmatic).

His latest contribution to the rap game Main Source, is exactly what we’ve been waiting for all these years.  Actually, listening to this record is the equivalent of time traveling back to 1994.  Large Professor definitely lives in his own world, which is permanently stuck in this era.  This was the same time that SP-1200 and MPC beats were the hotness and size 13 Timbalands were the regular…After listening to the first two tracks and reading through the booklet, you’ll be quickly reminded of all the above.

Continue on for the rest of the review..

Being a fan of all his early material, taking a look at Main Source was a no-brainer…Especially after hearing early leaks of “The Entrance” and “Hot, Sizzlin, Scorchin.”  While not particularly known for his lyrical ability, his beats have always been regarded as top-shelf among people “in the know.”  However, during this time in music (where artists are discarded as soon as they make a hit record), it becomes a little more difficult to remember the greats…Large Pro is definitely one of these greats and Main Source stands as reasoning enough.

From the jump, the listener is given a quick idea of what to expect for the remainder of this album.  “The Entrance” is a perfect intro track, and sets the tone for the remaining sixteen songs:

“The Entrance”

The best part of Source is that he attacks early and often, with an array of sample-heavy, dirty production and witty lyrics.  The following track kicks it up a notch, with the definitive anthem of the LP:

“Hot, Sizzlin, Scorchin, Blazin”

The level of quality remains pretty equal throughout, which makes Source worth listening to all the way through.  Mid-way, he hits us with “Hardcore Hip-Hop,” as produced by underground celebrity Marco Polo.  This beat knocks!

“Hardcore Hip-Hop”

The above might be the best beat on the record, which both helps and hurts its effectiveness.  It’s near equivalent to Eminem killing Jay-Z on “Renegades,” as featured on Jay’s classic The Blueprint.  While both albums are better for having these tracks featured on their respected full-lengths, it’s still another artist shining harder than the artist of focus…The good and the bad at the same time.

Pro (center) with The Main Source

And now for the ugly…There are definite moments when the listener is reminded of Large Pro’s age.  He’s obviously stuck in a 1994-like mind (beats and lyrics), which has both its benefits and weaknesses.  It’s great because the raw quality of that era shines through.  However, it hurts him a little too.  First off, some of the track titles are a little too old-school sounding (i.e. “Party Time,” “Rockin Hip-Hop,” “Hardcore Hip-Hop,” “Pump Ya Fist,” etc).  Song titles like that bring me back to shell toes and Adidas jump suits, when it was cool to be a dork.  Next, the song “Party Time” has about the worst chorus I’ve heard in a long time:

“Party time is anytime/ and  anytime is party time”

The above is repeated over and over until the next verse…Pretty terrible if you ask me.

With that said, there are much more highlights than negative aspects to this album…I’m actually pretty amazed with how much repitition Source gets on the iPod.  While I was expecting a decent album from an artist who seems to be a little behind the times, I was actually blown away instead.  As old school as Pro seems to keep it, this album couldn’t have dropped at a better time.  People are looking for quality hip-hop, with no limitations and no boundaries.  Pro succeeds with flying colors, making himself quite relevant in a time when artists like himself are for the most part slept on.

Sometimes something old is something great.  Lesson learned.  At this point, I don’t care if it’s a 1994 Pro or a 2012 Pro, the quality will always remain and I will always cop as soon as he decides to bless us with new material.

Plus, this record alone is pushing me to finally drop some cash on an MPC.  All my musician friends think this is an unwise purchase, but try telling that to Large Pro.

Overall: 8 out of 10

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