Rev Run - Distortion: Album Review

Rev Run, Distortion (Def Jam, 2005)
Remember that time Weezer came out with an album that was 28 minutes long? This is actually shorter than that. Seriously. I had to check and make sure I had the real thing and not some sampler.

I USED TO THINK I WAS RUN

This first track is actually the only one on here to crack the three minute mark, and let's not forget there are only ten tracks on here. Run hasn't progressed much as an MC since 1986, but he does manage to stretch a bit lyrically here throughout.

HOME SWEET HOME

Sampling "Sweet Home Alabama" might have actually been a cool idea, but they end up using way too much of it. Also, I wonder what this song actually has to do with the state of Alabama. Run is from Queens, right?

BOOM DITTY

The beat on this is real raw, not unlike the classic "Here We Go." The rappin' is also very 1984, which, for the most part, actually comes off as quaint.

BREAKTIME

Not as much going on here, really. But then it's really short, even compared to the rest of this.

HIGH AND MIGHTY JOE

Think "Mary Mary," only with a slightly different sample. The chorus is hilarious in a good way.

THE WAY

A song about how well he preaches. Seriously. No, thank you, Rev.

DON'T STOP Y'ALL

The production on this, with the weird synthesizers and the '80s-style chorus, is crazy.

MIND ON THE ROAD

You've heard this. It's on MTV and VH1 more often than songs that are actually popular, and it's even being played on the angry young cracka station here in STL - though not on any black stations, amusingly enough.

TAKE A TOUR

Not unlike "Home Sweet Home," I'm not so crazy about how they flipped Blondie on the chorus, but otherwise this is pretty jammin'. It's different from the stuff Run-DMC was doing 20 years ago, but it's got a definite early '80s feel anyway.

DISTORTION

The guitar solo on this might have been rethought, but I like Run's amped delivery, even though the rhymes here might be bit on the preachy side.

COMMENTS: This is so short I don't know that I could recommend anyone actually pay full price for it. Otherwise though, I'm actually feeling this. Whoever it was that produced this is a fucking genius, seriously, and should be put on the phone with the Beastie Boys forthwith.

BEST TRACKS: "High and Mighty Joe" "Don't Stop Y'all" "Take a Tour"

Comments

[ZRoc The Trashman]

Numero Uno. Id have sex with Rev Runs daughters. Thats the extent of my interest in this man in 2005.

[old headz]

Old school makes a comeback. Well, not really. But I dig Rev. He and Russell crack me up. I dig their energy, though, they remind me of a couple of black, jewish, (blewish), New Yorkers.

Rev's good for hip hop since he's not poppin' that pimpganstaicedoutmackmurkya type shit.

Off topic. Condolizzard Rice is a full of shit, prevaricating, soul devoid Succubus.

Werd to your Muthaz fat double da donka donk.

[DJ Forcefed]

I'm feeling it. Sounds like '84. I'm glad that Bol is feeling it too.

[Big Gay Walt]

Im glad thhat you an Bol are feeling it hard.
I can feel the music burning in my body
gaawwd jesus christ!!

[ian]

That is one heck of an album cover, I'll tell you that. Is that from the same guy who did R. Kelly's last one?

[James]

> Im glad thhat you an Bol are feeling it hard.

^ yes homo

[Captain Bee]

I should get my hands on this (no homo), I haven't heard any of Run's stuff since waaaaay back in the day.

[ishakamusa]

> ... Condolizzard Rice ...

Da name is "Congo-ba-sheeka", which means pretty-gapped-tooth one in Swahili.

[http://djxplicit.blogspot.com]

yeah, this album sounds interesting. bol, can you provide me with a "copy"?

btw, im pretty sure he's a "reverend" in name only. i saw his interview in rolling stone, where they asked him if it was okay for him as a preacher to rock gold chains and what have you. his answer went something like this:

"no, its ok to wear jewelry. god dont have no beef with stuff. god was the most materalistic person of all"

[Robbie]

Nice "Bat signal" Run.

I'm still waiting for DMC's "Checks, Thugs and Rock N Roll" album where he sings about his pick-up truck and plays acoustic guitar.

[Speed da Young'un says "We Live to Die, So Enjoy Yo'self, Damn It!!!"]

I might have to get this.

[http://djxplicit.blogspot.com]

btw: the game you can play on revrun.com has the best idea ever and the worst execution ever.

basically, you are run and you jump over cities, collecting bibles, and at the end you fight the devil by throwing bibles at him.

cept the actual game sucks.

[Speed da Young'un says "We Live to Die, So Enjoy Yo'self, Damn It!!!"]

^Like Bible Adventures?
(Video game nerds and officianados (spelling?), look it up!)

[Bol]

http://www6.rsmusicgroup.com/revrun/game/coasttocoast2005.html

The devil got me before I even had a chance to throw any bibles at it.

[God's Witnez Nastee]

Rev Run is on some girls. He like that dude who be like, yeah baby I'll skool you, na meen? Run you betta stop trippin and get back to the real hoes - coz hoes don't showz what hoes don't wanna know. Props for dope burning city backdrop doh Run, you can see it comin brotha and it ain't no game. You're just telling it like it is. You don't need those hoes no mo. Put down the game and burn em with the truth.

[mick mcguillicutty]

> Da name is "Congo-ba-sheeka", which means pretty-gapped-tooth one in Swahili.

give it up snowflake. your impersonation of an african is played out.

[george lucas]

http://www6.rsmusicgroup.com/revrun/game/coasttocoast2005.html

worst. game. ever. don't. play. it.

[http://djxplicit.blogspot.com]

hey, anyone, can you get me a copy of this shit? its not on soulseek (er...i mean, my local record store)

> ^Like Bible Adventures?

i remember that game

> The devil got me before I even had a chance to throw any bibles at it.

yeah, same. it sucks.

[http://djxplicit.blogspot.com]

> worst. game. ever. don't. play. it.

its funny cause shit like that makes people want to play it to see if its so bad its funny.

no, its just really boring and uneventful.

[SHEVY]

HE IS WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACCCCCCCCCCCCCKKKKKKKKK B...

[NoMad]

I know the whole "Run's House" thing is ridiculous but I did enjoy seeing the 'Father' of Hip-Hop bring in these three little white boys into Russell Simmons office to pitch signing them to Run's soon-to-be non-existent RSMG offshoot. They were wearing gold chains (one of the albino J5 was wearing 'white gold'...oooooooooohh) and sideways hats strutting into RUSSELL SIMMONS office straight parlaying, laying back on the furniture and shit. Iguess they were feeling themselves because they were being brought in by Run...stoo-pid. The whole time Russell just clowns 'em. At one point he asks exactly what I'm thinking whenever I see white homeboys do their impression of what's black..."what the fuck is wrong with y'all?" In the end he gives them a chance but I don't really know what that means. Being given a 'chance' on Rev. Run's faux label on a reality show seems akin to winning the lotto in Ghana.

SIDENOTE:
A Rev. Run video game? Oh-mi-gosh, my mom'll LOVE IT!

[ok-let's-get-reel]

According to Nielson TV ratings, 3.4 million watched last week's show. This is cable. Those numbers are crazy.

Viewers are telling everyone:

Yes, we are ready for some positive reality TV
and

Yes, maybe it will help unite a lot of us everyday people in that we all share these same family values no matter who we are...celebrity or non-celebrity or whatever.