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Full Clip: A Decade of GangStarr

© Steve Juon

You hadn't heard? You didn't know? You weren't aware? When it comes to hip-hop music, Gang Starr is all that and an eighteen wheeler rolling straight out of Lay's chock FULL of potato chips. You'd be hard-pressed to find a group with a more solid decade's worth of lyrical and musical brilliance -- and to prove it, Gang Starr decided to commemorate their 10th anniversary with this simply outstanding double disc. DJ Premier and the Guru have +never+ sounded better.

Gang Starr fans, fear not. Even if you bought every album and single they released from 1989 right up to the present day, you'll +still+ find something hear you haven't heard. The hardcore first single "Full Clip" bangs with classic beats and is immediately followed by the equally slamming "Discipline", a duet with Total that will surely be the follow-up single. As if hot buttery new tracks weren't enough, you'll find a lot of hard to find versions of your favorite Gang Starr songs that are equally slamming: the Video Mix of "Jazz Thing", the extended (three verses) version of "Just to Get a Rep", the unedited version of the B-side "So Whassup?!" and so much more.

The amazing thing is that this compilation could have easily been a triple disc and not been overly generous. For every slamming song like "Soliloquoy of Chaos" that was included (never a top ten hit or even a single, but definitely one of their best ever tracks) other equally slamming songs like "Love Sick" and "The Planet" didn't make the cut. Having to pick which songs to include and which to skip was probably more painful than your humble reviewer can imagine, but you can't fault the selection. Every significant and slamming b-side that never appeared on their albums is here. Every wild and wicked soundtrack song that wasn't ever otherwise available is here, including "Gotta Get Over" from "Trespass" and "1/2 and 1/2" from "Blade". Even the twelve-inch remixes of recent hits "The Militia" and "You Know My Steez" are included; special b-sides, which featured guest rappers, like Kurupt, The Lady of Rage, and Rakim.

Gang Starr fans will feel like every penny spent on this album was worthwhile. Hip-Hop heads who don't know anything about Gang Starr other than the hits off their last (and first) gold album will be pleasantly surprised. Music fans in general will discover what the underground rap set has known for years: DJ Premier makes the creamiest beats in rap and the Guru's smooth vocal monotones massage the melodies meticulously. Yours truly has never before heard a perfect double album, but this one comes just about as close to it as could be humanly possible. For $15.99 it's not only good, it's a BARGAIN -- in fact, a STEAL. It's probably worth MORE.

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