Boy In Da Corner
Dizzee Rascal
2003
Album Summary
Boy in da Corner is the debut studio album by English rapper and producer Dizzee Rascal. It was first released on 21 July 2003 by XL Recordings in the United Kingdom before being released the following year in the United States. A widespread critical success, Boy in da Corner became one of the most acclaimed records of 2003 and went on to win the Mercury Prize for best album from the UK and Ireland. It also peaked at number 23 on the British albums chart and sold over 250,000 copies worldwide by 2004. With the album's success, Dizzee Rascal gave mainstream exposure to grime music while becoming the UK's first internationally recognised rap star.
WikipediaReally stupid shit. It's hard to believe that people want to listen to this and harder to believe that someone paid for it to be made
This album sounded like it came from another planet in 2003 despite actually coming from a 15 year old kid mucking about in his school music rooms in Bow. 18 years later those beats still sound like nothing else that has come before or since.
Great flow and delivery, cool beats and sampling. Feels very ahead of its time.
An East London rapper named Dizzee Rascal sounds exactly how you might imagine. Once you get past the novelty of the accent (TIL that a Cockney accent with Jamaican and West African influences is called Jafaican) and the slang (not the "road toad frog" kind, the "call your friends 'blood'" kind), it's actually really fun and really clever. Gangsta rap is an American export, no doubt, but Rascal has fully absorbed it and turned it into an expression of life in East London. Super fascinating stuff. Best track: Hold Ya Mouf
This was a pleasant surprise. Has that exotic factor due to English/afro Carribbean accent, the electronic beats are versatile and catchy, the lyrics are fun and weird
While I'm not normally a fan of this genre of electronic hip hop (grime, I guess it's called?), I was surprised at how much I enjoyed this album overall. There's a terrific energy and drive to most of the songs, and Dizzee's rap prowess is impressive.
I found the tracks to be very interesting, however rap isn't my favorite. I really enjoyed it though.
Tempted to just give this 5 stars and move on. One of the albums that got me into hip-hop, and it doesn't sound like anything before or since. Dizzee Rascal gets annoyed with people saying Wiley is the godfather of grime music, because he was producing/co-producing this music first. Whatever the case, the production on some of these tracks is really unique and instantly recognisable. His vocal style is completely idosyncratic too. And it's worth remembering that Dizzee was 17/18 years old when this was recorded, I believe? Some of the lyrics are stupid sex & violence style rap - but others are strikingly insightful and honest. The feature by God's Gift is mediocre, and there are one or two weaker tracks musically. SO on reflection, 4*.
Considered entry level by some grime fans, Boy in da Corner is one of the most consistently good albums in a genre more focused on singles. This is easily one of the most consistently good UK hip-hop albums in general. It's a shame none of Dizzee Rascal's subsequent albums were able to live up to it, but it set the bar pretty high.
When this came out I was struck by how off the wall it was. Such good grooves and clever nasty lyrics. I remember dance floors getting filled when tracks from Boy In Da Corner got dropped. Listening to it again after many years I was surprised by a possible Sparks influence on track. Dizzee Rascal made an intelligent album that never took itself too seriously while still being important
Remember reciting all of Fix Up, Look Sharp on the school field at lunch time? Me too.
I remember greatly enjoying this album when it first came out, so when I saw it in my backlog I jumped straight to it. What I got was an album of two halves - the first half (more of a third, really) showed why grime music in general and this album in particular was so great, songs about hopelessness and boredom rapped over discordant beats in a style that still stands out. The remainder was much more the kind of bravado I can never take seriously when it's delivered with anything other than an American accent. Fix Up, Look Sharp, Jus' a Rascal and I Luv U were stand out tracks, but ultimately this album was just a little bit too lacking for me to give it a rating of an album I'd be keen to buy.
Very energetic. Never really listened to British rap before, but I believe this is the seminal Grime album. Impressive flow and witty lyricism. I'd go back and listen to this.
Grime is a uniquely British genre intersecting hip hop and EDM, utilizing syncopated breakbeat samples to create an aggressive, energetic beat for rapping over. Boy In Da Corner is one of the foundational albums of the grime genre, winning the 2003 Mercury Music Prize and thus earning the new sound some legitimacy. Stylistically, this raw production style and MCing reminds me of the east-coast Definitive Jux production on the other side of the pond, though Dizzee Rascal is certainly a lot less abstract in his lyrics. I'll be honest, I have a certain bias against UK hip hop. I find the accent to be more irritating than anything, which leaves a lot to be desires when that's the majority of the album. I like the production otherwise though, it's unique enough to stand out.
Despite being an unabashed fan of hip-hop, I'm never gonna be a grime head, I guess. I keep giving it a try and I just can't get into it. That said, somewhere around track 5, I started to actually understand what Dizzee, and by extension the genre, is trying to do/be. Dizzee may be rapping but this isn't hip-hop and that's a game-changing realization. It's more akin to dance genres like garage or jungle. When approached with that understanding, grime makes so much more sense. I was able to move through the rest of the album and... kind of enjoy it. I'm still not into grime, mind you. But I went from actively disliking it to respecting and appreciating it. That's worth a few stars for the boy in da corner.
Unimpressed. Not bad production quality but repetitive and annoying. Some songs In the middle were a bit better but not great
I don’t like rap. Is the guy decently talented? Yeh. I don’t have other British rap to compare against and I won’t seek it out.
If Dizzee Rascal's intent was to make an album that would make the listener want to blow his or her brains out, then I say well done sir! I tried, but I hated it. I did make it all the way through, but just barely. 1 star.
Not my taste of music or genre. Found the vocal delivery and most of the music abrasive
Just so, so, so not my thing. I gave it a try but couldn't get through it.
Absolute and utter dross. Honestly, why this sort of abject shite gets hyped up by swathes of actual grown adults is beyond me. Yobbish, dumb and painfully monotonous.
Boy in da Corner is the debut studio album by English rapper and producer Dizzee Rascal. It was first released on 21 July 2003 by XL Recordings in the United Kingdom before being released the following year in the United States. Per Wikipedia (as above), this album falls under the "grime" genre of electric music. My interest is piqued... Tracklist: Sittin’ Here Stop Dat I Luv U Brand New Day 2 Far Fix Up, Look Sharp Cut ’Em Off Hold Ya Mouf Round We Go Jus’ A Rascal Wot U On Jezebel Seems 2 Be Live O Do It! Vexed "Sittin' Here" introduces Dizzee Rascal with cool beats and bass tunes. This is a solid hip hop track with clever lyrics ("same old story" "it was only yesterday). It's relatable, and it sounds very cool. "Stop Dat" is another grime track with deep bass synth chords (I'm probably butchering this terminology, bit it sounds bassy!). I dig this song, and it's giving me major Blackout vibes ("Freakshow" comes to mind). Track 3, "I Luv U," opens with a woman saying the titular line over and over as if her voice is solely activated by the push of a key. This song features a battle between two loves (with his and her vocals!) and it's very fun, and the grimey instrumentation is very addictive. "Brand New Day" features jingle-bell keys and a grimey beat. Dizz sings about his life, losing his friends, making plans for the future. It's personal. It's good. "2 Far" features Wiley and opens with funny Alvin and the Chipmunks distorted vocals that lead to a consistent "uh uh" and violins while Dizzee sings about how someone pushed him... too far. The next track, "Fix Up, Look Sharp" opens with a fun drum beat that samples "The Big Beat by Billy Squier. It's fun and semi sarcastic. "Cut 'Em Off" features more bass and a steady beat. It's dark and his vocals are echoey and it's a little spooky! "Hold Ya Mouf" features God's Gift and a synth that reminds me of Saria's Song from Ocarina of Time. Dizz sings about karma and bettering yourself. It's catchy! "Round We Go" has more "hey hey" backing vocal/sounds and more fun synthy tunes. This track sounds like a breakup song and it's pretty great! "Jus' a Rascal" opens with people chanting "he's just a rascal" that leads to Dizzee and electric guitars mixed over a cool ambient electric tune. This track sounds like Dizzee's introduction song. "Wot U On?" has bassy beats and a robo/harmonizing lady vocals in the background. I sense another breakup song! "You're looking at your jewelry thinking you're a dapper" Ahhh, a gold digger song. This song is VERY fun. "Jezebel" opens with plucking strings and some hip hop beats. This track is dark and the titular Jeze is in some deep shit. "Seems 2 Be" is more grimey synth track that opens with an iconic monologue from a woman that features this poetry: "To be honest I’m totally and completely on his dick" This track is quite outrageous and I'm all for it. He does compare Britney and Christina to Teletubbies at one point, which I simply love. "Live O" opens with claps and an automated operator ordering you to "leave a message." Dizzee mentions Perrier in this song, and I really appreciate it. The final track on the original pressing, "Do It!" opens with Dizzee reflecting on his life and planning for his future. This track features more of the same grimey instrumentation that I've come to appreciate on this album, and it's very good! Favorite track: Wot U On? Honorable mention: I Luv U
La prima volta che ho sentito questo disco anni fa quando vivevo a Londra mi è esplosa la testa e sentirlo anche oggi mi fa lo stesso effetto. Dizzie ha uno stile unico e ha influenzato me e tantissima musica che mi piace, gran disco. Non ho altro da dire.
I love this album and always have and for me all but one track are really strong 2 far is a track I dont remember with any fondness and i dont think it has improved but that is one track of an album of great tracks with some real stand out classics of the genre
It says a lot about how good this album is that it managed to break into my indie centric world back when it was released. It got more play than a lot of the music that is now known as landfill indie, which is a disingenuous name as every genre has forgettable music that doesn't stand the test of time. Anyway, yeah this album stands the test of time. It's just mental.
Need to revisit, but interesting mix of rap with some English downtempo elements.
Un rap rafraichissant tres tres bon qui m’a secoue par rapport a ce que je connaissais. 5
Liked this quite a bit! Very aggressive, old school UK rap. "I Luv U" was great. Will put this into the rotation.
Yes! Yes! Yes! Minus one star for the line “Lyrical clientele but I ain't a bocat, I don't like the smell”
Did not expect the heavy dub. I don't mind the strong reggaeton vibes, but would actually love to hear an instrumental version of this album as a personal preference. Where my Skream heads at??
so, it turns out i like grime a lot more than i thought i would. pretty nice.
Rap. Straight down danzable and catchy. Good enought, not perfect, repetivive on times.
Braggadocious, at times dated in it's slang, but overall an enjoyable delve into the early evolutions of London's grime scene
Un album de très très grande qualité que j'ai beaucoup apprécié. On notera cependant la présence excessive de morceaux intitulés "Dizzee Rascal Type Beat".
Jebote šta je ovaj album zanimljiv. Znam za ovaj album, za njega, al nikad nisam poslušao baš u cijelosti album i mog reći da me je zateklo. Stvarno odlično kreiranih pjesama, bass udara ko blesav, agresivan album. U nekima ima manjka melodičnosti, ali opet to nekako daje taj štih na pjesmu. Pa tako i cijeli album.
So talented! Every song sounds like a blueprint for Bonkers, but without its overexposure and catchiness.
Wagman ma roadman tis album was peng blud don't Eva trust a wasteman innit 4/5
Ooooooi Some massive tracks on here. He’s got his own style and is doing his thing but I was never too into grime. Fix up still sounds huge and I’ll always turn that up as loud as I can go.
Opening the book on the UK Grime scene with humour social commentary and a cast of diverse characters. Accessible and interesting to non-fans of the genre, especially hearing Grime emerge from DnB.
Classic grime album. I haven't listened to this in a hot minute but it's so nostalgic for me.
I only knew Dizzee from that one Basement Jaxx song, so this was a real treat!
This album goes HARD. Most of the tracks on here just slap and are a great time and luckily there are some switch-ups so it's not too overwhelming. Really good bars, from what I could understand of them as well. 8/10
Rating: 8/10 Best songs: Sittin here, I luv u, Fix up look sharp, Jus a rascal
I'm usually not much into music like this, but I can vibe with this album very well. Especially the vocals are done skillfully and have me bopping my head a lot.
Oy, it's the boy in da corner, innit? Been waiting for a reason to check out Dizzee Rascal, glad to see this pop up on here. Some really fantastic tracks on here. I'm pretty sure this was one of the first big breakout albums from the grime scene, and it's crazy to hear how much this style still influences acts today, like Skepta. I hear a throughline from this to Konnichiwa for sure. Obsessed with the Billy Squier flip on "Fix Up Look Sharp," took me right back to that XXL freshman cypher with Kendrick and Lil B. Give me more grime! Favorite tracks: Fix Up Look Sharp, I Luv U, Stop Dat, Hold Ya Mouf. Album art: He really is a boy in da corner. Font, colors, even his pose is cool. Really like this one. 4/5
Dizzee’s underground grime album made it to the overground and inspired plenty of think pieces in left leaning newspapers marvelling at his wordplay, real outlook on urban life and raw stripped back electro beats. I can’t really blame them - it’s a powerful Debut, he was just a kid and who had heard music like this before if you weren’t on the scene?
Good album although not 100% my thing. The famous tracks I knew already and really like ie Fix Up Look Sharp. A couple of the tracks felt a bit too busy.
Dizzee's energy and skills are to be commended heavily here. My only complaints are that a) some of the beats haven't aged super well and b) this project is at least 15 minutes too long. Solid 3.5 star. Favorite tracks: "Fix Up, Look Sharp", "Hold Ya Mouf", "I Luv U"
I'm not the biggest grime guy in the world, so I'm not over the moon for this. But there are some big tunes on here, and overall it's good.
I can respect the talent it takes to carve out a sound like this. It's extremely difficult to listen to while doing something else, I found. Every track sounds super busy and attention grabbing. It's a little vertigo inducing, which is kinda fun in itself! Fave track -"Stop Dat", I think. I'm not doing a second play through to be sure, though...
I can appreciate the influence and legacy, and I love his rapping voice, but I simply didn’t react to the album as positively as I expected.
This is a fun album and it seems Dizzee doesn't take himself too seriously.
In its day this was pretty fresh. A combination of raw jagged beats and Dizzee squawking about uniquely British things (like Happy Shopper). It wore pretty thin pretty quickly, and then Dizzee released "Holiday"
Don't know much about Grime Rap, but this is enjoyable for a while. Good lyrics.
it was okay, not really into it except one song love u or something like that
High energy, almost aggressive at times. Not really my style. Super creative. Favorite track is probably Do It!
In conclusione: Sarà che ormai ci sto facendo il callo, sarà che mancano le tracce coi pompini o 15 pezzi sulle bitches e quanto ce l'hai lungo, sarà per le basi un po' frizzantelle elettroniche, però a me sto disco m'è piaciuto. Quando ho visto la copertina so partito subito di eye-rolling e invece poi m'ha divertito e ogni tanto sono anche andato a vedere come si chiamava il pezzo perché mi aveva stupito. Diciamo che questo è quello che per il genere è andato più vicino alla possibilità di essere ascoltato di nuovo.
Great grime music. I like the beats on the first song. The lyrics/rap aren't my thing, though.
Grime is one of the most interesting subgenres of hip-hop and this album is grime at its purest.
His debut album comes out the blocks fighting. Harsh electronic production, London rhymes. Solid debut. Best Tracks: I Luv U; Fix Up, Look Sharp; Jus' A Rascal;
Pretty darn good. Not sure I can take a whole grime album, but this is good stuff.
Cet album de Dizee Rascal était très agréable, mais parasité par un nombre beaucoup trop important de Dizee Rascal Type Beats. Ils y sont absolument tous passés !
Kind of just sounds samey after a while, but I like the early dubstep feel here. I had heard Fix Up, Look Sharp in some video game or somewhere years ago, so it was fun to discover that again. Honestly this would be higher if the samples and sound effects weren't so annoying. The beats are good and Dizzy has good flow.
Turns out I prefer my rappers who have a British accent. This album's somewhat of a blast. Like most rap albums, it's probably 3 songs too long. But that probably says more about me than it does the album, since rap is a tough genre for me.
Didn't appreciate the grimy production at first but it grew on me over the course of the album
Grime not my particular taste but I like this album and see it's merits. Brand New Day A favourite.
This whole album I kept jumping back and forth between "what the hell is this crap" and "oh shit this is pretty good". Perfect example of a three star album then.
Better than most rap. Never heard of this guy before. His use of the Billy Squire song is good.
I'm giving this a 3 out of respect for it's role in the formation of grime, but otherwise there are so many other albums that do it better.
Oi! 'Fix Up, Look Sharp' is sweet as a nut. The rest of the album is mostly ok.
This album is fun. It drones on a little bit in spots but the hits are all great. Sittin' Here is an all time great album opener.
The lyrics are far less interesting than the atmosphere created by the confused and noisy arrangements. (6/10) FT: I Luv U, Fix Up, Look Sharp
Not gonna lie... I had to listen to this album with lyric subtitles... Not 100% sure how I feel about it but I know I didn't hate it.
Helppo nähdä, miks tää on ollut kova juttu 2003. Muutama biisi toimii tosi hyvin edelleen, vaikka soundit ei oo kyl kauheen hyvin ikääntyneet. Ehkä ansaitsee silti just ja just 3/5, nautin jollain kierolla tavalla.
A great debut from Dizzee, it definitely brought the UK grime movement to the mainstream masses. This album seems more raw and unpolished in comparison to his later works, but doesn't suffer from it's "green-ness". There are pockets in the album where his flow is not quite there, but there are gems where you can see he's taken that flow and honed it. Best: I Luv U Worst: 2 Far 3.5 Stars
J’ai de la difficulté à évaluer ce genre de musique, parce que je n’en ai pas un gros baggage. Je me fie donc à mes repères généraux d’appréciation. Cet album n’est pas plate. Ça bouge beaucoup et ça va dans plusieurs directions. Je suis content de l’avoir écouté, mais ça ne figurera pas dans mes meilleurs album hip-hop/rap.
This reminded me a bit of "the batty man" rapper. I don't remember his name but Stevie would. This felt unique especially in 2003, but in the latter half of the album I was skipping a lot of songs. One that stood out and I thought was awesome was Fix Up, Look Sharp which I think had the guy who sings The Stroke.
Heard this once before. Not bad. Three good tracks and the might take more time to get to know better. 3.5/5.
So far I'm about it. British, cool. From the sound of Stop Dat, I can't help but guess Dizzee Rascal ventured into/influenced dubstep? I can't keep up with the lyrics, but damn, this shit goes hard. I Luv U is one of the most British things I've ever heard. God damn he went after the queen on 2 Far, and he's MBE. Sick. Alright, on to the most listened track, what'll it be like? He kinda gives me ODB at times. I like it, but I don't think it's the best track that I've heard on the album. That always kinda bums me out, because it makes me think the other, better tracks might have been overlooked a little. Oh, Danny Brown too. Jus' a Rascal kinda slaps. Hmm, not big on Jezebel, big slut shaming anthem I guess.
I’m still not into hip hop but this album was certainly interesting. I would almost call it Industrial Hip Hop. Hard mechanical abrasive beats. Kudos to him for pushing the envelope and not sounding like all the other mainstream hip hop artists.
The music critics lived this one. That says I’ll never fulfill my dream of being a music critic.
Look, this was a tough listen. Sometimes the instrumentals were cool, but ultimately, grime just isn't it for me.
I thought the first 3 songs were not so bad, but then it went downhill verrrrrrrrry fast.
I’ve listened to Dizzie Rascal a few times and one or two songs are good and I would listen to again the rest weren’t enjoyable and not my kind of music
Fun album, easy too what it has lead to in the current rap industry, but also has some boring themes and downright bad music, imo
One great track, Fix Up, Look Sharp - It's great because of the Billy Squire samples. Couple other pretty good songs. The rest is ok. 2.5/5.
Interesting and bombastic backing tracks, and really started off like something I'd like, but got pretty annoyingly repetitive after a while. Barely finished this one.
Grime, something I have a tendency to like but I have big issues with the mixing. Vocals have a tendency to not pop out from the instrumentals making it hard to follow the lyrics, which is not for the best. The songs sound disconnected and only Jus’ a Rascal popped out as a good bop.
Anton Newcombe has listened to this a lot. Yeah, fuck you Stormzy, this is real UK grime. I can appreciate that this started off a scene, but it's not something I care for.
Boy in Da Corner by Dizzee Rascal (2003) If you’re tired of standard East Coast/West Coast hip hop, Dizzee Rascal offers a little variety. His Ghanaian/British accent and idiosyncratic background sounds are arresting. On the other hand, this debut outing is lacking in the production quality of mainstream American rap/hip hop. And his unalloyed meanness is unconvincing, clothed in a significant amount of sonic goofiness (e.g., “Hold Ya Mouf”). His compositions include flavorings from the Far East, Africa, 20th century European choral music, and a heavy dose of urban America. It’s really a wild display, by a young and conflicted soul. Rascal’s voice lacks menace and power, but he displays sufficient rhythmic sense to carry the songs in the absence of dominant beats. He seems to have discovered that overpowering percussion sometimes gets in the way of vocal performance. This is a plus. In the hypersonic “Jus’ a Rascal”, his athletic diction is given a full workout. Many American rappers could learn from him in the “percussive consonants” unit of Elocution 101. On the other hand, his vowels, blends, and diphthongs are frequently lost at sea somewhere between the English Channel and the Cape of Good Hope. “2 Far” is an interesting techno/hip hop fusion piece, rationalizing antisocial behavior while being accompanied by what sounds like Alvin and the Chipmunks. I don’t know whether to laugh, cry, or grab my .45 and inventory my family members. Interesting, but not enduring. 2/5
multi-layered yet minimal, disorientating, futuristic - but it is 18 years old! well done but not a record I will want to listen to again anytime soon
Rap isn't my favorite, and this album was kinda weird. But pretty impressive that we was only 16 at the time.
Didn't listen to it again, this is the score from original listen on solo list.
Contextualitzat en els primers anys del mil.leni, com un dels primers i millors exemples de grime, rap anglés urbà i amb temàtiques del dia a dia, encaixava força bé. Però no em sembla gaire destacable musicalment, i amb els anys ha perdut l'interés que en algun moment va poder tenir
A ver. Quiero que me guste esta mierda lógicamente, pero más allá de lo adelantado a su tiempo que está los sonidos están ridículamente anticuados (normal por otro lado) me saca un poco entre eso y el delivery del jambo, pero esas son las únicas críticas. No está mal. Es un estilo que no me encanta particularmente pero si esto es el del 2003 se ve la influencia fácilmente. MAD BANTER GOOD CHAT THIS BLOKE'S GOT THE PROPER FLOW INNIT.
No acabé de escucharlo, de lo que he escuchado no he entendido nada pero me ha resultado bastante interesante y me gustan algunos temas. Una review muy vaga porque lo que escuche lo hice mientras iba a clase. Supongo que deberia haberme puesto los lyrics. Mmm yo que se.
Seemed as if he was in too much of a hurry 'to spit'. Did not leave enough time to tell the story....
I don't do a lot of british hip hop. It's okay, but I'm not going to be seeking this album out
I generally don't like rap, but do think that Dizzee Rascal is definitely among the better rappers I've heard. I liked the no frills electronic accompaniment as well and also the rather dark sound of the music. That said, it's still a style of music I generally dislike. Additionally, the nervousness and angstiness of the music made a couple of the tracks really hard to listen to. The album was also very long, which led me to skip a couple of tracks, especially around the middle of the album. 2.5 stars rounded down because I did quite a bit of skipping.
Ihan coolit soundit mut en oo koskaan juurikaan välittänyt grimesta, aika tylsää musaa. 2/5.
Tää genre ei oo kyllä mua varten. Varmaan siis klassikko alallaan mut tän kuuntelu ei oo mulle erityisen mielyttävää. 2/5
Hey chums, it's the latest case of personal-iniquity-shredding-a-musician's-reputation! I don't wish to talk about the current nastiness surrounding Dizzie Rascal. Not least, I favour death-of-the-author, and have no probs separating the work from the artist. Anyway, in 2003 Dizzie Rascal was carried everywhere on a sedan chair held aloft by slavering critics, becoming that rarity of a respected UK rapper and symbolising the transition from garage to grime. I had the album myself, but in honesty I can't say I played it too much beyond the singles. In 2022, perhaps I can manage a more studied take. Firstly, Fix Up Look Sharp is an indestructible song, properly manic and banging, with this great playground sense of kids sharing yo mamma jokes. And Boy In Da Corner is at its best when it exhibits a childlike charm, when he's bragging about his trainers. But, gangsta posturing was surely passé by 2003, or at least it should have been? It dilutes the album's appeal considerably. Another point is the attitude to women. When does a cynical stance become a noxious one? A few times it appears to accuse young women of ensnaring unthinking men (and their money) by calculated pregnancy, and the title of the song Jezebel is as shrill a warning siren as one may require. This is where immaturity festers into misogyny. In retrospect, the initial appeal of Dizzie Rascal was partly the shock of the new. Audiences had already concluded that garage wasn't especially tantalising, and any step from that felt like the right one. But the actual slab we have hear is overlong, inelegant and not sufficiently charismatic. Later albums are an improvement, but it's slightly baffling to contemporary ears how this became the critics' champion all those years ago.
Edge and energized and I suppose distinctive (I've certainly heard little like it, especially with the thickly accented rapping), but I find it also pretty annoying and not very relatable. He sure rhymes fast. Must be something the kids like.
I dub this album Beats Machine 1.0 programmed by Beats Technician 1.0. The amateurish beats are off kilter like two middle schoolers stepping all over each others’ feet at a dance. It’s hard to get into body bouncing rhythm Fix Up, Look Sharp was my favorite track.
I recognized the name Dizzie Rascal from his 15 minutes of fame in 2003. I vaguely recalled finding him interesting, and thus looked forward to listening to “Boy in Da Corner” nearly 20 years later. And it was, no doubt, interesting. It felt fresh and different, for either 2003 or 2022. The grime style is one I want to like. But uniqueness aside, I just couldn’t get into it. “Fix Up, Look Sharp” is the track I remember, and I do think that refrain is the coolest thing on the album. But while I’m glad grime exists, I think it’s just not for me.
Fine for what it is - and a banger is a banger, but not enough bangers here for me
Would I like this with headphones on, maybe if I smoked a bong. Would I like this in my living room, only if I was high on shrooms. Do I care about these songs, to pretend I like them would be wrong. Are these songs considered really essential, there's not much chance of that potential. I do not like this in a car. I do not like this in a bar. I do not like this in a house. I do not like this with my spouse. I do not like this here or there. I do not like this anywhere. I do not like Boy In Da Corner. I do not like this performer! Nope
I had high hopes at the outset because the opener hits pretty hard. Then it got a bit formulaic for me.
I appreciate that this album probably had some role in making Man's Not Hot happen
I don't know. I started out liking it, but this just isn't my thing for a whole album's worth.
1. Can't believe this is almost 20 years old. 2. Losing the will to live a couple of songs in. 3. I think 20 years ago, I was too old for this. 4. 20 years later, I'm still too old for this.
I have surprised by the fact that I have enjoyed a lot of the rap albums on the list, sadly this is not one of them. I do need some semblance of musicality in my music some melody perhaps. This album is more rapping over nonsense noises. I can't derive any listening pleasure and so the rapping no matter how honest or funny or poignant or righteously indignant can't make it through to me because the music has no redeeming qualities. 2.5 stars