Off The Record #6 - "The Bridge and the Abyss" by Jedi Mind Tricks

Welcome to Off The Record! A Fresh Weekly Album Review segment brought to you by @stickykeys!

6th Edition

June 26th 2018

Jedi Mind Tricks

"The Bridge And The Abyss"

I wasn’t always a Hip Hop fan. Not because I didn’t like it, but because I wasn’t introduced to it properly. I had a phase in High School where I listed to Gangster or Hardcore Hip Hop (N.W.A., Eminem, Ice-T, etc.) but I eventually reverted back to what I knew, which was Heavy Metal. That being said, the artists I’m featuring today were responsible for re-introducing me to Hip Hop again in my adulthood. Jedi Mind Tricks were the perfect formula for me because, for one thing, they (and other artists on the same bandwagon i.e. Ill Bill, Everlast) were fans of Heavy Metal, particularly Black Metal. That, mixed with intellectual lyrics and hard beats was an instant attraction for me. When I first started to DJ, I used to play a lot of Hardcore Hip Hop and scare away the crowd! I know better now.

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Jedi Mind Tricks (JMT) were formed in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and comprises of rapper Vinnie Paz (Vincenzo Luvineri) and producer Stoupe the Enemy of Mandkind (Kevin Baldwain), with rapper Jus Allah appearing on and off throughout their long career since 1993. DJ Kwestion has been their DJ and supplying their vocal scratches on their albums since 1997. Jedi Mind Tricks released their first full-length LP in 1996 entitled “The Psycho-Social, Chemical, Biological, And Electro-Magnetic Manipulation of Human Consciousness” (taken from a book of the same name by Valdamar Vaerian) or “The Psycho-Social” for short. Still a favorite album in my books.

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‘The Bridge and the Abyss’ is the latest offering by Jedi Mind Tricks and is their 9th studio album to date. It was released on 22nd June 2018 and includes 19 tracks featuring guest artists, Yes Alexander, Eamon, Scott Stalone, CZARFACE, Thea Alana, and the late Sean Price. Clocking in at 57 minutes, it doesn’t feel too long at all as each track is pretty short, averaging at about 3 minutes and 30 seconds.

The first single, ‘San La Muerte’, released in early May has lyrics and beats that bring back the style of music that made Jedi Mind Tricks popular in the underground scene in the first place. Raw and gritty.

Jedi Mind Tricks – ‘San La Muerte’ music video

The second single and music video, ‘Marciano’s Reign’ was released the week prior to the album launch on 15th June and the video is a stop-motion style animation reminiscent of Tim Burton-style movies. The instrumental backing the vocals are a remix for a classical song that I can’t remember the name for (if you recognize it, please leave a comment).

Jedi Mind Tricks – ‘Marciano’s Reign’ music video

Other notable tracks include the soulful-sounding, ‘Freshco & Miz’ which talks about bringing back the boom bap and jazzy sounds of Hip Hop. ‘Legacy of the Prophet’ features the late Sean Price, and ‘Torture Chamber’ which features CZARFACE, a super group comprising of Hip Hop duo L7 & Esoteric and Inspectah Deck of Wu Tang Clan.

I enjoyed reviewing this album, it didn’t feel forced at all. JMT have matured so much since their earlier albums that I’m so used to. A majority of the beats are more up-beat and the lyrics are less technical and focusing less on conspiracy theory themes, making it easier for more people to consume what they are listening to. Let me know your thoughts on this album! See you next week! One love!

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Stay tuned for the next edition and be sure to follow me at @stickykeys! Also if there are any albums you would like me to review, drop a comment below.