Under Construction

Lots of lyrical quotations from and references to old school hip-hop, plus a couple of remember-when tracks; plus a general back-to-basics vibe in Tim's beats

This is closest to how I'm perceiving it first listen, ie the trappings - add the images to the Cd booklet here - give the impression it's more retro than it really is. The beats couldn't come from any time other than 2002 really.

The chatting is great!

(track 7)

Just spotted this in the Missy Thank You's in the booklet:
"MARCELLO - good looking, you're a sweet gal!"

(s)he gets everywhere!

I dislike "Back in the Day" for the same reason. Why is she just telling us over and over that this is ye ole skool when it's already so obvious that it is? Those rhymes just aren't that interesting. The Jay-Z opening is smooth, but it goes on too long with those lines. (I might have that track title wrong)

is "the legend" wot's under construction? or is it hiphop?

More the latter. But it's the attitude that's the target rather than the music.

The intention is clearly stated in the first bit of chat, but is underlined in the last (at the end of "Can You Hear Me"), which feels spookily pertinent now post the Jam Master Jay shooting.

In summary:
Good album. No more than two not-so-great tracks, I'd say. A lot more accessible than ...So Addictive.

The "vainglorious"/"The red, the black, and the green, SISSIEEEEEEEEES!" parts of the X-Clan album were great.

But I meant that a positive thing!

I agree. Astonishing. More like this, please.

Sugarhall drop? Sugar Hill studios in Kingston? I like that!

?!!!

The "exclusives" thing doesn't bug me so much now (I think my initial negative reaction was down to kneejerk rockist tendencies: "hey, that's the tenth time U done that on the album, girl!" Once you start searching individual songs it doesn't nearly matter so much anymore). On the other hand, I've cooled a bit on the narratives, some of which seem unnecessarily defensive (and pre-emptive). Why say "I'm not apologising for this song/record"? Why not just let the songs stand for themselves?

i like that.

i love the beyonce one. she rebukes her for being submissive to her controlling boyfriend.

i like the jay-z one.

'slide' is all hard and stuff. twankies. i love that.

'go to the floor' is good. rich people buy boats.

the tlc one is really hecka sad. chhhh. i don't even want to listen to that. i felt too sad to listen to it before the answering machine thing was done. it's just some silly song but it's still super-sad. ;_;

i've only listened to 'meat is murder' all the way through a few times, too. and it's even sillier, maybe. but it's just too much. it's silly but it's intense. actually, it's not that silly. i'm not sure what i mean by 'silly.' both of them are pretty serious, i guess. i don't know.

i don't know.

and the remix with 50 cent is dumb. he sounds dumb and i hate him. she says REEEEEEEEEEEEEEMIIIIIIIIIIIIIXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX forty-five seconds into the song! for gosh sakes, wasn't there a better time before then? i mean, it's almost a minute in. i don't mind people saying REEEEEEMIXXXXXXXX on the remix but this remix sucks and you didn't need to do it forty-five seconds in.

(which i think jigga realizes, since even more hilariously, he clarifies a few lines later: "get it? ice cube."

I've only listened to this once, I thought I might be able to keep up buying it on the day of release but, oh no, you're all pretty much done and dusted. What's next, then?

Acrid bitterness aside, I love the block rockin' old school middle act and the photos to go with it, I'm predicting an amusing trend for old school boomboxes to go with your British Knights.

[long indecipherable bit]
[indecipherable response]
My girl!
[indecipherable]
It's okay
It's alright
It's okay
It's alright [indecipherable]

I'd love to know this too. It's not the double dutch bit. It's what the girls on the school bus sync to.

Thanks for the help!

everybody had a zipper jacket and half of these thugs had a glove to match

underrated: missy's doowop harmonies during luda's verse on "gossip folks"

I <3 this album so mucho mucho

is it actually missy doing those harmony bits?

half a decade on (!) i think i love 'gossip folks' even more than 'work it'. she sounds like a car screeching on tarmac and it is awesome.

ALSO this was otm:

(Haha I have now put the Trina album on and it's sounding JUST AS GOOD! So I think a) both are grebt; b) I am tipsy and happy and should go to bed for real instead of listening to my new CDs...)

― Tom (Groke), Friday, November 8, 2002 1:04 AM (5 years ago)

sounds like her voice xp

half a decade of fremme neppa vennette

"If you need me on the phone to curse out the hoes/ I'M READY!"

MISSY: Don't let him blow your high, go out and have a nice time. Is you sure about that?

BEYONCE: Girl, I do not get high!

Pussy don't fail me now.....

(love this album, my 2nd or 3rd fave Missy album)

The bit about the beginning about how you never see Bill Gates and Donald Trump arguing with one another hasn't really aged well, has it?

P much every rap reference to Trump from 1985-2014 indicates how the braggadocious can be rooked by the bullshit of a bigger braggart.

Lol I put on Under Construction for the first time in years and had the same reaction as Matt above.