Self-Titled
Reviewed by: Taylor Johnson
PRhyme is the collaborative effort of Royce Da 5′ 9″ (best known for his work with Eminem) and producer DJ Premier (Gang Starr). PRhyme’s eponymous album mixes the beats of eighties hip-hop with the unrelenting flow of rappers from the early nineties in a brief 34 minute, 9 song experience. It is a nostalgic case of how the hip-hop genre can sometimes come full circle when the right people are involved.
The album starts strong with “PRhyme”. Premier scratches and samples us into a contagious beat, sounding like A Tribe Called Quest meets Wu-Tang, exhibiting his good old-fashion DJ skills. Then Royce comes in swinging. His flow is ruthless, non-stop. His words are crammed full of race politics, cultural references, and the outcry that the duo are just now in their prime, despite their influential work earlier in their careers. It’s a bold claim, but for the most part PRhyme delivers.
A lot of major players have a hand in PRhyme; most notably Common, Killer Mike, and Mac Miller. Additionally, Ab-Soul, Dwele, Jay Electronica, Schoolboy Q, and Slaughterhouse all make appearances on the record, which keeps the songs throughout and proves just how well-connected the duo is with others in the industry.
It’s hard not to respect the careers that led up to PRhyme’s existence, and Royce and Premier’s collaboration demonstrates their respective abilities with flying colors. There is no denying that. The only concern is whether or not the album presents anything other than what has already been heard. Whether or not audiences want or need another album to add to the canon of early hip-hop remains to be seen.
Rating: Listenable