Internal Affairs

About

<i>Internal Affairs</i> stands out as an impressive solo debut from one of rap’s most skilled—and underappreciated—technicians of all time. But it’s just as notable as a fascinating time capsule of the state of hip-hop at the end of one of its most consequential and dynamic decade. At the time of this record’s initial release in 1999, a fiercely underground, "independent as fuck" (to quote a young EL-P) backpack scene had sprung up in seeming opposition to the mainstream successes and excesses of Bad Boy Records’ so-called shiny-suit era. That scene was dominated by Rawkus Record, the NYC indie that in quick succession released proudly noncommercial formative music from then-unknowns Mos Def, Talib Kweli, and EL-P’s group Company Flow. So when Southside Queens’ Pharoahe Monch—who had dropped three highly conceptual cult favorite albums as half of the duo Organized Konfusion—signed with Rawkus in 1999, it felt like a natural match, a safe homecoming for an underground veteran. But Monch and Rawkus had more ambitious plan, as the seminal single “Simon Says” made immediately apparent. Built around a catchy-as-hell sample of the <i>Godzilla</i> theme, the song was an indie-rap-friendly club banger at a time when that juxtaposition seemed impossible. It debuted prominently on Funkmaster Flex’s Hot 97 radio show amid his signature bomb sound effects—rap’s most important commercial cosign. Although the rest of <i>Internal Affairs</i> never reaches the riotous heights of “Simon Say,” it generally follows that song’s approach—an underground hero opening up the cypher a bit to the audiences rapidly coalescing around rap radio and mixtape. “Hell” and “No Mercy” featured Canibus and M.O.P., peers who had their own brief dalliances with commercial acceptance; love song “The Light” has Monch flexing his melodic smarts and impassioned singing voice; “Right Here” and the caffeinated Busta Rhyme duet “The Next Shit” wouldn’t have sounded wildly out of place on a DJ Clue mixtape. And “Simon Says” gets a Funk Flex-friendly extended posse cut remix featuring Method Man, Redman, Busta Rhyme, and other. In between are Easter eggs for the head, such as “The Truth” with Common and Kweli and “God Send,” a reunion with Organized Konfusion bandmate Prince Po. Monch’s rhymes aren’t quite as mind-bogglingly dense as they were on Organized classics like “Bring It On,” but his ability to fit thoughtful lyrics into intricate and unexpected rhyme schemes and rhythms is still legitimately jaw-dropping. (Pro tip: Brace yourself for—or altogether skip—“Rape,” an extremely problematic extended metaphor that compares rapping ability to sexual assault.) .

via Apple Music

The Clerk says

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