Clipse Album: “Hell Hath No Fury [PA]”

The Clipse has been in the mainstream for some time time since 2002. 4 years later they hit us with their third album (not their sophomore, their first one came out in 2000) "Hell Hath No Fury". And this has to be one of the best albums of 2006. Something must have happened to Pusha T & Malice these past 3 years, because they really come full force lyrically. "Hello New World" is one of those tracks that shows their lyrical skills. Seriously they have shown a BIG improvement from their "Lord Willin'" album. A lot of these songs have nice hooks which really makes their songs good such as "We Got It For Cheap (Intro)" & "Keys Open Doors".

Also the Neptunes beats are awesome! Their first single "Mr. Me Too" is one of the sickest beats I've heard from them. Heck even Pharrell spits a hot verse on that song. "Wamp Wamp (What It Do)" is just sick. To tell you the truth, I can't find one wack beat on this album from the Neptunes. The beats here are better than any ones that are on Pharrell's "In My Mind" and on The Neptunes' "Clones" albums.

Guests aside from Pharrell are also good. The Re-Up Gang do good jobs laying down verses on the songs "Ride Around Singing" as well as "Ain't Cha". Slim Thug handles the hook for the "Wamp Wamp" song. Bilal as well as Pharrell somes in for the slow & soft sounding track "Nightmares" to close off this album.

To have a gripe about this album would only be that the album seemed kinda short, only 48 minutes long, but still no filler. Also one song, "Chineese New Year" didn't appeal to me. Other than that, there is not one inconsistant part on The Clipse's or The Neptune's behalf.

To state before, this album is one of the best commercialized albums of 2006. I'm glad to see that they came back with a new album that is going to blow many weak albums way this year. (To tell the truth at one point, I thought they fell off). Three and a half years in the making, they really took their time with this one and made sure everything was carefully made. Guaranteed to make your head bop up and down. Props up to the Clipse for getting back in the game!

Lyrics: A

Production: A+

Guest Appearances: A

Musical Vibes: A-

Overall: A

Favorite Tracks: We Got It For Cheap, Mr. Me Too, Wamp Wamp (What It Do), Hello New World, Keys Open Doors, Ain't Cha, Trill, Nightmares

Peace!

The Clipse has been in the mainstream for some time time since 2002. 4 years later they hit us with their third album (not their sophomore, their first one came out in 2000) "Hell Hath No Fury". And this has to be one of the best albums of 2006. Something must have happened to Pusha T & Malice these past 3 years, because they really come full force lyrically. "Hello New World" is one of those tracks that shows their lyrical skills. Seriously they have shown a BIG improvement from their "Lord Willin'" album. A lot of these songs have nice hooks which really makes their songs good such as "We Got It For Cheap (Intro)" & "Keys Open Doors".

Also the Neptunes beats are awesome! Their first single "Mr. Me Too" is one of the sickest beats I've heard from them. Heck even Pharrell spits a hot verse on that song. "Wamp Wamp (What It Do)" is just sick. To tell you the truth, I can't find one wack beat on this album from the Neptunes. Actually the beats here are much better than the ones you heard on Pharrell's "In My Mind" as well as The Neptunes' "Clone's" album.

Guests aside from Pharrell are also good. The Re-Up Gang do good jobs laying down verses on the songs "Ride Around Singing" as well as "Ain't Cha". Slim Thug handles the hook for the "Wamp Wamp" song. Bilal as well as Pharrell somes in for the slow & soft sounding track "Nightmares" to close off this album.

To have a gripe about this album would only be that the album seemed kinda short, only 48 minutes long, but still no filler. Also one song, "Chineese New Year" didn't appeal to me. Other than that, there is not one inconsistant part on The Clipse's or The Neptune's behalf.

To state before, this album is one of the best commercialized albums of 2006. I'm glad to see that they came back with a new album that is going to blow many weak albums way this year. (To tell the truth at one point, I thought they fell off). Three and a half years in the making, they really took their time with this one and made sure everything was carefully made. Guaranteed to make your head bop up and down. Props up to the Clipse for getting back in the game!

Lyrics: A

Production: A+

Guest Appearances: A

Musical Vibes: A-

Overall: A

Favorite Tracks: We Got It For Cheap, Mr. Me Too, Wamp Wamp (What It Do), Hello New World, Keys Open Doors, Ain't Cha, Trill, Nightmares

Peace!

... and the winner for rap album of the year goes to... 'Hell Hath No Fury', The Clipse. Is this for real? This album is so solid it frightens me. There's something so eerily perfect about The Clipse. The brothers Malice and Pusha T are unbelievable MCs, I mean they just manhandle the mic. Since their lyrical content is on par with what most popular rappers are barking about (drugs), the topics are accessible to mass audiences digging all that Rick Ross rap yet equally enjoyable for fans interested more in flow than in floss. The Neptunes always bring out their biggest guns for these guys - Lord Willin was among the first albums that launched the Neptunes into stardom - and there are no complaints on that end. The overall pace of the album is a little faster than their last LP, but it's standard stand-out production by the Virginia duo.

I haven't heard anything this consistently good in a long, long time. Maybe Ghostface's last album was the last time I heard something this phenomenal, but that's neither here nor there: bottom line is that this album is so important right now, so good, so worth your money.

There's always something to be said about an artist that's able to expand and succesfully change their sound without compromising themselves. But, then, there's a lot to be said about the dudes that can remain the same and still sound fresh.

Clipse definitely falls into the latter category. These guys spit about crack, money, and cars (woop-dee-doo, same ol' same ol') but unlike most of these MFers on radio, they're actually good at it. Charismatic, tight flows, sick punchlines (Even the title of "Keys Open Doors" oozes with wordplay) and sick beats. I'm not gonna say they've made a classic album because it all IS very repetetive but the beats are all solid (Neptunes comes through as usual) and the lyrics are all tight. If ya lookin for enlightenment and metaphorical bliss, look elsewhere (this album doesn't have that), but if ya lookin for entertainment, clever quips, and tight beats...look no further, "Hell Hath No Fury" is the album for you.

2002 was the last time the VA duo graced the music world with an official album (the "We Got It 4 Cheap" mixtape series, while impressive, doesn't count as 'official'). Since then, we have been promised "Hell Hath No Fury" since late '03. And now, in the 4th quarter of '06, we finally get a chance to sample the latest offering from the Clipse.

"Lord Willin'" showed that Clipse weren't just another group with one hit under their belt. Granted, "Grindin" was THE anthem of that summer, but it wasn't until their first effort came out that the talent of Pusha T and Malice was revealed. Despite one or two missteps, their freshman release was a success. However, label drama kept them sidelined for the next few years, while their name in the industry died down until many thought they were never coming back.

Well, as Malice says on "We Got It For Cheap (Intro), "The wall's removed and now I see/My leg was pulled, the joke's on me." The Brothers Thornton are back and back with a vengance. Their lead single, "Mr. Me Too" recieved heavy radio play months before the albums release and solidified the Clipse name in the streets. Playful lyrics, along with a hypnotic beat and catchy chorus proved to be the launching pad for "Hell Hath No Fury."

Once put into play, "Hell Hath No Fury" plays like a former star athlete in his first game back from injury. From the jump, the sound is like nothing you've heard from the Neptunes since "Lord Willin'." While Pharrell and Chad might be catering more towards the pop/R&B crowd lately, their production all throughout this album makes the statement loud and clear that they can still get down to real hip-hop music when they want to.

There are so many standout tracks on this album and it's hard to pick out just a couple to talk about. For one, "Hello New World" is arguably the best track on the album. Pharrell provides the beat and the smooth chorus while Pusha T drops street knowledge: "I listen to the beat, and the rhyme is wrote/See, I was 16, eyes full of hope/Bagging up grams at the higher dough/The news called it crack, I called it Diet Coke." While the content on the album doesn't stray too far from the street-dealing and gun-wielding that so many rappers use today (Jeezy, i'm looking at you), Clipse lyrical abilities and their sincerity are able to overcome the formulaic content.

Simply put: You need this album! This is easily one of the top five albums released this year and belongs in every hip-hop fan's collection.