Hypocrisy Is The Greatest Luxury

A solid flow and background instrumentals.

Lyrical genius. Michael Franti is so talented!

"Hypocrisy is the Greatest Luxury" is the debut album by alternative hip hop group the Disposable Heroes of Hiphoprisy. Industrial hip hop is the Wiki-listed genre. That'll work. The group is primarily composed of Michael Franti (vocals, production, miscellaneous instruments) and Rono Tse (percussion, drums, noise). The album had wide-spread critical acclaim. Hallelujah chanting begins "Satanic Reverses." Hard beats. Frenti's authoritative deep voice. Sounds bounce back and forth between a trumpet and industrial noises. This is very Public Enemy-like. The contrast between the progression of the world and the backwards conservative thinking of America. Well, nothing's changed in 32 years, Michael. The changing of tv stations opens "Television, the Drug of the Nation." Fast rapping. A melody driven by a sample of the Meteors' "Look-Ka-Py -Py." The song's title says it all. Franti goes bluesy in "Music and Politics." A jazzy, bluesy guitar. He's singing. Hey, this is how he sounds with Spearhead. Taking a look at himself through someone else's eyes and how he can't stop thinking about music and politics. They slow it down on the semi-cover of the Dead Kennedys' "California Über Alles." Frenti gives a more detailed critique of California politics in the late 70's. Good cover. The album closes with "Water Pistol Man." A piano sample of Walky Badarov's "Leaving This Place," a Cure-ish post-punk guitar and a hip hop beat create a unique sound. Frenti singing almost emotionless as he takes a deep look at himself and realizes he needs to take care of his own problems before solving the world's. This takes a serious tone and look at a lot of Frenti's perceived serious problems in 1992 (conservatism, bullying, Christianity, war, racism, violence, black society, drugs, immigration, pollution, politics, anti-gay and his own issues.) His deep voice is intense and perfect for the rap-singing he did. The music fuses hip hop with industrial, electronic and post-punk. This was a compelling listen. Highly recommended.

hell yeah. tunnin verran laiskaa saarnausta. khartoum type vibes.. vihdoinkin länsimaailma alkaa ymmärtään... taylor swifti = many million millions listen to propaganda.. disposable heroes of hipoprisy = not many sit down& listen to reason........... niin vitunmoista SPITTAILUA!!!!!!!!!!!!!! PTHYII........... sylkee faktoja, nylkee yhteiskunnan kuoren... mitä löytyy.... haiseva, itsekeskeinen läjä narreja.... narrit sivustolla saa tämän vastaan.. sanoo mitä hemmettiä... niin huono omg so pretesios.... multippeli kakka referenssiä, eikä edes vittu ketään kiinnosta.. kalifornia yli muiden natsi paskat vittu pommittakaa demkoraatti keskus, hullutusta siellä vittu vetypommi edistetään san andreas katastrofi NYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYT!!!!!!!!!!!! language of violence

The Disposable Heroes of Hiphoprisy was a project that grew out of the Bay-area collective the Beatnigs; former members Michael Franti and Rono Tse made the socially conscious rap. Hypocrisy in the Great Luxury is the debut album album from the pair, which met with considerable critical success. The pair never found significant commercial success, and their career was short-lived. These are engaging, challenging pieces. Franti is sweeping cultural critic; with "Television, Drug of a Nation," he takes aim at our numbing opiate of the masses. In "Socio-Genetic Experiment," Franti discusses his experience as a black individual who grew up in a white household. Franti takes on these sorts of challenging topics in an effort that didn't find the commercial success of which it was worthy. There are gems here, like "Music and Politics," that show Franti's potential, that he explored in later ventures.

Pretty cool album, definitely worth the listen. A lot of the issues he raps about are still talked about today, though there are some that need updating and I'd be interested to say what he says about social media and phones! haha

Pretty catchy tracks, and the lyrics had some depth to them.

Klasik ranog angažiranog hip hopa

Surprised I’d never heard of these guys before. Like others have said, great stuff. The newly minted conspiracy theorist in me now things big media subdued them but hopefully didn’t imprison them. Only downside is it’s too long and some of the later tracks feel like restored off cuts.

I'm a little torn on this one. It's fantastic if not a bit of a Public Enemy offshoot style wise (particularly vocally), but there's a lot here ahead of it's time. I had to double check the release of 1992. The sampling here is very slick and the beats are great. I think the California Uber Alles cover makes this a:

Never had heard of these but I really liked this one. The rapping was easy to listen to and the production felt big while also having a lot of space. A good combo!

This is a great reminder that the more things change, the more they stay the same. So many of these lyrics could’ve been written today. Love the depth and everything he’s standing up for. The problems he describes in society are very on point. I like all the real sound bites he uses from the news and such too. And this is Michael Franti, wow! Had no idea about his earlier career. I’ve never heard of this before. It felt a little lacking musically, but the lyrics were really the star here.

A really interesting album, I liked the songs Satanic Reverses and Televisin The Drug of The Nation. The rest of the album was good to and an interesting listen for the messages in the so gs.

Socio-political hip hop is the best kind of hip hop. The fact that the lyrics are relevant 32 years later is equally inspiring and disheartening.

Highbrow rap about themes of the day (that are mostly still a problem).

This is good hip hop. Good beats and lyrics. Enjoyable.

Political 90s rap, I’m here for it! Crazy (sad) how so many of these issues are still issues today.

I like it, I know some folks think it is a bit preachy but I like conscious hip-hop.

Wow what an incredible album. My favorite kind of hip-hop. Charged, political, great beats. Shame they only made the one album it seems. Will explore more.

Sort of like public enemy but not quite as good.

I remember seeing Michael Franti with Spearhead supporting R.E.M in 1995 and enjoying them but this is next level. More harder hitting and political than Spearhead that just let loose with the hate which can sometimes make the album a bit too much and a hard listening, it is also a bit bloated in places but altogether a triumph in hip-hop.

Righteous, focused anger and right-on social commentary. Smart, direct lyricism. Dope beats. Strong recommend. Absolutely all the subject matter is still highly relevant 32+ years later 🤯 Franti is basically a sage and we collectively have learned almost nothing.

Very good

That was better as expected. Thanks to the generator for showing this to me.

Again a classic hip hop record impresses me. I loved the delivery half spoken style.

Älykästä kritiikkiä taitavasti syljettynä.

Banger of an album - one of my fave hip hop acts

Hadn’t heard this in years - still holds up well

The artist’s name is a mouthful. Great voice and sound though. Very Public Enemy. My first though was that this is socially well-behaved rap and hip-hop. Nice lyrics and messages. The lyrics on Television, the drug of the nation and Satanic Reverses are amazing. Very important of the time. Favourite song: Television, the drug of the nation Least favourite: All tracks were good Album artwork: OK cover.

Alright, what do we have today. Oh, some socially conscious raps. Let's see: The oil industry World economic policy Civil rights The Berlin Wall Illegal Immigration Abortion rights Capitol punishment Freedom of speech Social apathy Corporate bailouts Hong Kong reverting to China Control of the Panama Canal Fundamentalism Religion The US justice system Flag burning Okay, now let's check out the second track... This is awesome. The beats are straightforward and uncluttered. The flow is a bit stream-of-consciousness. The MC is deeply indebted to the style of Chuck D. A lot of it asks more questions than it provides answers or even commentary. So at times it feels more like a social checklist than it does a social commentary. But holy smokes, if Music and Politics isn't he most personal, soul-bearing, transparent and heartbreaking prose I've heard in a long long time. I really loved this.

All of the songs themselves are really good. They have a great beat and usually a great baseline. The issue is the messages in the song are told to you very point blank. Also the guy's voice sounds goofy. Still, a very deep album with an approachable beat.

Résolument engagé, avec une touche de lucidité personnelle. La voix, basse et profonde, mise de l’avant sur les boucles. La récitation sérieuse, une dévotion palpable nous y retiennent.

Great beats to go with great messages. Everything dude says still pretty much translates to now✊

Solid! Too bad America is still struggling with the same issues.

The first half-a-dozen tracks are an incendiary five stars. Tension and amazement dip somewhat on the back nine of what is ANOTHER overlong nineties rap album but it's an amazing debut full of lines that will stay in your head for days.

Great message and thoughtfulness to this album, although the style of it doesn’t appeal to my personal tastes.

A 90’s rap album I liked. Music and politics dropped the score. Also didn’t listen to the songs not on Spotify :*

This is some really good progressive shit.

Very unique album well worth a listen

3.7 stars rounded up. Intelligent, politically angry rap. More ideas and interesting beats than hooks. Definitely a musical descendent of Gil Scott-Heron.

I liked this. Good beats and music and creative, intentional raps. Hard to believe these were issues 35 years ago and it is objectively even worse today. No progress is sad.

Eat shit theocratic fascists

Maybe a bit too on the nose with the Baudrillard-type stuff but these ideas inevitably age and given the context of its time this was probably pretty god damn righteous. I don’t know, I was still a sperm in 1992.

Very nice! Shame I never heard of them!

It's a shame that the album is still current, because the criticism in it is still justified.

I think there are some powerful messages here. The music itself is very hit or miss. But I think that this was important to include on this list.

STANDOUTS: Satanic Reverses Famous and Dandy (Like Amos 'n' Andy) Television, the Drug of the Nation OVERALL: 3.5/5

Military intelligence being an oxymoron is a joke that this guy absolutely got from M*A*S*H* which is possibly ironic? A guy decrying the phenomenon of television by using a joke that came from a TV sitcom is an irony that I’m too drunk to go into right now I don’t agree with Michael Franti’s interpretation of television at all. This is definitely a cultural thing. I have no idea what television was like for the average American in the early 90’s. I have a small idea of what it’s like for the average American right now, because I’ve watched some American Football with my Dad which has the ads, and I have to say American advertising is fascinating. It’s a testament to why we are said to be living in the golden age of television. To bastardise a quote from a great (and political) TV series, people stopped believing in television when television stopped believing in them. Once TV started treating it’s viewers as intelligent, adult viewers, that’s when the standard of television shows started going up. You could still make a song like Television The Drug Of The Nation today, but it’d be talking specifically about shows like Fox or GB News, and not television as a conglomerate. Other than that I agree with everything that Franti is saying. It’s an incredibly prescient album in it’s treatment of… well everything. Climate change, Palestine, economic insecurity, immigration, racial politics, everything that a principled leftist is likely to have an opinion on nowadays, you will find a decent exploration of, which is both from 30 fucking years ago and written in rhyme. It’s infuriating that we’re still talking about this shit, and invigorating that we on the left have such good material that we’re able to reinterpret it so many times, to the extent that we’re able to do it in iambic fucking pentameter if it’ll help push the message across

Nice

Have not heard of this album / artist previously, but this SLAPS. Over the hour it does get a little "samey" but great lyrics over cracking beats

politically charged lyrics done in almost a spoken word style. reminiscent of public enemy meets gil scott heron. even includes an interesting cover of the dead kennedys’ classic “california uber alles”, complete with samples from the original. was not familiar with this band before the listen, but this album is very well done with important social commentary throughout. highlights: “satanic reverses” “television, the drug of the nation” “everyday life has become a health risk”

8/10 surprisingly enjoyed it!

Good hip hop. Powerful lyrics!

Interesting. And super political. And although produced in the early 90s all of his topics are still relevant today. Some even worse today than they were back then.

I'm disappointed that I didn't know about this album before. Really enjoyed it.

Interesting album. Lots of political commentary that wasn’t over the top and then that one jazz tune that was self reflective. I found myself straining to listen to the actual lyrics.

What a deep reference! I heard these guys in their Alternative Tentacles days. Some of the writing is cringe now, but the rolling bass is lots of fun

3.5 Nice version of California Uber Alles!

April 4, 2024 HL: "Satanic Reverses", "Language of Violence", “The Winter of the Long Hot Summer”, "California Über Alles" Nice of Apple to provide some of the album :/ I guess some samples weren't cleared or something? Well, this is my first time hearing the Heroes of Hiphoprisy. Digging through 15 year old YT videos to find every song is not an ideal way to listen to any album, but I think it was worth it to get the whole package. While it borders on jazz rap like A Tribe Called Quest, that sound is obfuscated by Public Enemy-like bursts of noise. Combine that with menace like "The Tower" from Ice-T's O.G. Original Gangster, and we have a surprisingly good combination. Oh, I forgot to mention, throw some Dead Kennedys and Gil Scott-Heron in there too, THEN you have a combination. Final song, "Water Pistol Man", sounds like an atmospheric video game from the late 90s

Knew nothing of this and am glad I found out.

Some nice hip hop.

Major Gil Scott Heron vibes. And of course Chuck D. Ahead of its time on certain issues for being a rap album. Deeply political. Boomin beats.

"Satanic Reverses" and "Television is the Drug of the Nation" are two examples of strong commentaries on social issues. The whole album is a clear statement on pervasive and seemingly timeless issues.

An early and rare example of mature rap. Subject matter societal; analytical and unsatisfied. Not mind-blowing but a relief to remember this kind of stuff exists

Another well done and depressing indictment of American culture from the early 90s. Even worse how not only things haven't gotten better but even worse especially considering one political parties descent into full blown fascist madness. We're probably doomed

Classic

I like this. The production is very solid, adding industrial and live instrumentation in ways that do not really sound dated. Rono Tse's contribution sounds interesting : Angle Grinder, Tire Rims, Chains, Break Drums, Electronic Springs, Sheet Metal & Steel Drums. The lyrics are something. See David Bennuns takedown in the Quietus - he makes some fair points vis a vis on the nose, listing, and telling not showing, and sometimes there is hilariously dry narration. However there's some good word shit going on here. ie: bail out the banks, loan art to the churches - satanic reverses; methadone metronome etc. And longstanding theory of myself and my brother - all genres, but particularly hip hop are at their best when no one's to smart or clever for their own good. And theres some of that glorious ignorance here. Plus this Bennun guy has (d)evolved to some unsubtle takes on say - Israel/Palestine. Its like watching the soul drain out of Roger Ebert on his revisit of the graduate "actually "plastics" was great advice." Whereas I find it like revisiting RATM, which in my fat young republican days I would have thought went pretty hard, but was hopelessly naive. Now along with the disposable heroes, it is evident more and more on many things that they were just right.

Always nice hearing a hip hop album from San Francisco. A rare thing 4

Punchy and political! I liked this a lot. It was an interesting listen and wasn't predictable at all.

The Bay Area's Michael Franti in his project prior to forming Spearhead. Title track unavailable via streaming - sample clearances?

I am surprised that I never listened to this one before now. It is really good.

Super lyrics and beat. I really liked it.

This was really good. I loved the lyrical themes of the album, the vocals, but also the beats. Strong 4/5.

The themes of this album feel as relevant today as they were 30 years ago. Music was good, I spent most of the time reflecting on how my opinions on these topics have changed. I was a lot less receptive to these ideas when I was younger. Socio-Genetic Experiment was too repetitive. A 3.5

Had never heard of this before, but was pleasantly surprised by it. The topics run the gamut from social to racial to economic. Musically, not the most interesting, but not bad either.

Sharp lyrics and ahead of its time

That album is filled with delicious 90s hip-hop. Scratching, sampling, fast pace, all the earmarks of an early hip-hop album. Truly a treat to listen to.

Hard to vote on this one.

Not what I typically enjoy, but damn if this wasn't damn good

Didn't realize Michael Frantic had been kicking it for so long.

Famous and Dandy is a jam. Love the beat and sampling work throughout that almost sounds like UK industrial (like MC5 of the 90s) mixed with some slick jazz. Pointed lyrics about selling out to be famous; just copping an image rather than really understanding what you are. Television, the Drug of the Nation once again features some sweet instrumental work. Vocals remind a lot of a calmed down Chuck D. Neil Postman would approve of this message (recommend reading Amusing Ourselves to Death if you haven't already). Winter of the Long Hot Summer is a monotonous vocal damnation of the nation's response to a Middle Eastern situation (for which I have no direct knowledge). Still relevant to today's political stance and public reaction (just watch the Super Bowl while bombs fly). Talk about relevant again, Everyday Life Has Become a Health Risk opens with a sample about the amount of pollution Americans generate before launching into a commentary on nuclear bomb testing, hormone injected meat, and acid rain. Pretty sure this is referencing the Love Canal disaster internally with the Geiger infused concrete line. INS Greencard is an ominous instrumental with a vocal recording from a recorded phone prompt for reporting illegal aliens. Socio-Genetic Experiment features a sick dub-infused beat. Certainly a late album standout. I get some major Deltron mixed with Geto Boys vibes from the delivery. Music and Politics goes a whole other direction for a slick jazzy guitar instrumental over which he describes that if he ever stops talking about Music and Politics he would cease to be who he is. Sung sections make me think a bit of Blockhead. Beat on Financial Leprosy is pretty wild. Funky hints with a droning bass and industrial / off-center screech. I went in with no expectations and was completely blown away. This is some really interesting, "conscious" 90s rap that touches on a ton of topics du jour (a lot of which are still relevant to this day). Production and instrumentals are amazing throughout with a ton of variation. Certainly has a 90s flair about it, but in the best possible way. Weak point (imo) were the vocals, which were not nearly as didactic as the production and kind of ran together at times. This is a minor point to me; great album start to finish. Completely unexpected. 4.5 if I could give it. If I could access in full on Spotify this would absolutely be played on repeat. Rounding down only because I don't feel like I "have" to listen to it again right away.

Not my genre of music but the lyrics kept me listening because of how relevant they still are - decades later. Sad but true.

I did not know that Michael Franti had been in a hip hop group prior to Spearhead. I have never heard of these guys. It's like Gil Scot Heron and Public Enemy had a baby who was cursed with prophetic visions - this came out 22 years ago and I'm three songs in like damn ain't that the truth. Only 9 of the songs are currently available on Spotify or Tidal - not sure why.

Strange Rap but quite good

Pretty good.

very cool, maybe the best 90s rap album from this list so far. unfortunately a couple songs were unable to be listened to on spotify which sucks

do you remember when this was all we had to worry about aw bless

High 3.5. Starts off incredible. Tails a bit eventually; lyrics pretty consistently excellent, but not as much musical variety as I’d like and Franti isn’t *always* the most convincing. Still, he’s uniformly great, and this was an awesome listen. 3.5/5

Political hip-hop. I liked it. Strong message with a great beat.

3.8 - enjoyed this but definitely felt too similar do an album

A striking, politically charged hip hop album covering a broad range of issues in a combative but accessible early 90s hip hop style. This is what you may get if you crossed Public Enemy with De La Soul, and is perhaps what a hip hop MSP would sound like. I really liked it. What a shame that most of the issues highlighted in 1992 are just the same more than 30 years later. Given his views on the way Television was damaging the intellectual health of the nation, Michael Franti (vocals and production) must be aghast at the impact of social media. Rating: 4/5 Playlist track: Satanic Reverses Date listened: 20/12/23

3.6/5 Best track: Television the Drug of the Nation

We've had rappers cover socio-political issues on the list before, but never as thoroughly, pointedly or articulately as this. That deserves praise, as does the slightly awkward pun in the group's name. I guess I'm a still a bit of a layman when it comes to early 90s hip-hop, but I enjoyed this more than, say, the Public Enemy albums I've heard so far. Can't help but feel reputation (or lack thereof) has played a part in their respective rankings on here. My only real complaint is a common one: individual tracks and the album as a whole are longer than they need to be. If they'd culled a few of the weaker numbers it would be a straight 4 stars, but I'll probably still round up as a 'nice discovery / hidden treasure that deserves more love' bonus. 3.5

First timer and really enjoyed! Not only catchy but thought provoking lyrics that have me excited to listen to again.

Huh, I've only known Franti for his work with Spearhead, his upbeat beach party sounding tunes. I had no idea he had a Public Enemy sounding history. Fun stuff.

For many years I have said I like old school hip hop. But then, having come across a good number of hip hop albums during this project and not liking any of them, I started thinking I was wrong, and actually I only liked a handful of tracks rather than the genre. This album vindicated my original thought. This is a good album. Catchy, political, angry, articulate, and simply enjoyable - I really enjoyed this. It's not quite 5 stars, but this is definitely going to end up in rotation for me.

This was awesome. I’m not a hip hop fan, but I thought this was great. I love the production/instrumentation, and the lyrical flow is great. I also love the political critiques.

Literally never heard of this artist before, but this was great. Really intelligent and evocative lyrics, excellent instrumentals. Favourite tracks: Satanic Reverses, Television The Drug Of The Nation, Hypocrisy Is The Greatest Luxury, Water Pistol Man

It was familiar yet I do no it remember actively listening to it previously.

This is a seminal album. As a teen, the idea of social and political commentary as part of music was there, but not to this palpable level.

Couldn't get the whole album, but liked what I heard. Good rhymes, pretty simple musically but interesting to listen to.

This was a nice surprise. I had never heard of them before. The socio-political commentary holds up for me because of the raw emotionality the lead singer brings. I like the realness, and the lyrics were often impressive. Loved “Music and Politics”.

Superb. Socially driven.

Political and raw

Pretty good 3.5 stars

Is dit mijn grootste verrassing onder de hiphopplaten? De teksten zijn zeer scherp maatschappijkritisch, en erg intelligent geschreven. Het tempo van de beats ligt iets trager, waardoor de lyrics niet door de song gejaagd woorden, maar in een soort van vertelstijl naar boven komen.

Franti's powerful debut is a smack in the face for complacency and a call for activism in the face of overwhelming societal, political and governmental pressures. Whilst it is refreshing to hear a rapper rap about whatever he damn well pleases and whilst the messages are important and worth listening to, the beats and music aren't quite compelling enough for repeat listening. Certainly a unique album and a significant one.

Great listen, fantastic lyrics that show a genuine conviction to the cause

I just about laughed aloud reading about Franti's projects pre- and post-: The Disposable Heroes aren't easy to typecast, but the lyrics fit way too easily into the Bay Area alt narrative. Sonically and thematically, though, the group birthed something special in '92. The production bridges classic hip-hop with still-pretty-niche industrial ventures, and the MC's predictions are as historical as anything factual captured on record. Intellectual spookiness here feels like high praise, and anything cheesy is just as charming.

Although the musings are at times superficial, Michael Franti's vocals are mesmerizing and the themes seemingly more relevant today than in 1992.

Really good

Something funny: I didn’t realize the pun in the band name until I told my dad the album today and he asked about the pronunciation (I was saying Hiphoprisy, as in ph pronounced as f). Anyway, this album is extremely bleak. It makes some good points, and the best songs kind of tend to be the ones I can get on with more; for example, I prefer ‘Language of Violence’ to ‘Television The Drug Of The Nation’. The beats are nice; kind of similar to Public Enemy, but they have more exotic elements, which is good. In conclusion, a good rap album I wouldn’t have listened to otherwise.

4+?

I will start this off by saying that I was unable to listen to every track on this as they aren't all available on Apple Music. That does suck but what I can say about this album is that it's great. The beats on this record hit so hard in a way that I believe is new for the time. Honestly, this record is kind of a harder hardcore hip-hop record which is certainly something. However, it also has some industrial qualities that add to the harder sound. As far as I know, this is one of the first industrial hip-hop records. Granted, it's not as abrasive as something like Death Grips, but it certainly is good. It also fits with the progressive hip-hop genre as the lyrics on the record are so political. Hell, there's a song about why the songs on this record are so political. My favorite track based on lyrics alone would probably be Language of Violence, which discusses the discriminatory and hateful way we use language and how that carries on so to say. The song does use some words that should definitely not be used today, as do a handful of other tracks, but it sits in that same vein as Auntie Diaries from Mr. Morale and the Big Steppers. My favorite track for its beat would be Satanic Reverses as I kind of like the horns on this track while also demonstrating the industrial feel of the record. Honestly, though, this whole record is good. Really good. I'm considering giving this a 9/10.

1992. A 26 year old suburban Detroit white kid who grew up listening to the Beatles and Pink Floyd is now living in Dayton, Ohio, having been moved there for his job. The only people he knows in Dayton are his co-workers, who we considers to be lame and provincial. He's an idealist, politically far left, doesn't own a TV because he thinks TV is a time-sucking void. One day, listening to the local public radio station he hears "Television, the drug of the nation, breeding ignorance and feeding radiation..." He's mesmerized. Coincidentally, he had just gotten his first ever CD player so he rushes out and buys the album and listens to it over and over again. That 27 year old was me. I've never been into hip hop, before or really since this album came out, but for a brief time I loved it. It spoke to me. Maybe my views have just softened over the years, or maybe I realized that spending all of your time thinking and talking about all the things wrong with the world is a recipe for being miserable all the time, but I kind of drifted away from this type of strident music over time. Rage Against the Machine is another example. I still love it, but I can't spend my time being angry all the time, it feels counterproductive to living a happy life. All that to say I still love and appreciate this album, and am glad to have had the opportunity to listen to it for the first time in probably 25 years. 4 stars.

Never heard of this before, political leanings to rap albums nearly always make them better and I thought this was great. Did verge on just becoming a political rant at various stages, it was much better when the guy was focusing on his flow as opposed to getting his message across. Would like to hear other stuff, as this one is a bit scattered I reckon he could make a five star album if he tightens everything up.

I was immediately skeptical of this just because of Michael Franti, who has long been the butt of many jokes between my friends and I. I had no idea he had anything to do with hip hop at all. This was really hard to find to listen to. 4 of the 13 tracks are not on streaming services, and had to turn to a YouTube playlist with the occasional ad interruption between songs. Not ideal. But... this was a pleasant surprise and felt relevant and right out of it's time. Very political and urgent. I dug it quite a bit.

Never heard of this band/album before listening, but I was pleasantly surprised! Michael Franti's lyrics are uncompromising and blunt (and unfortunately still extremely relevant) and Rono Tse's production gives the project the momentum that it needs with a set of cold, bare instrumentals (especially the slow, introspective groove of the closer Water Pistol Man). Certainly not perfect (suffers from some bloat here and there, production feels rather dated, and some of Franti's flows can feel choppy and stilted), but still a very solid album!

This was really good. I had no expectations and was impressed.

Gir meg litt Rage-vibes. Litt mindre rock, litt mer rap. Veldig politisk. Jeg liker godt Michael Franti!

Good! Super lyrical and meaningful.

Always new Television but not the band or the album. Loved it, poetry with a beat.4.5

Excellent, 4+/5

I love all of these lyrics. The sampling im not super into but i will take it. Its sad how little translation is required from something that came out in '92 and listening to it in '23.

More than any news and media outlet, hip-hop had become the go-to source for what was going on in the black community; its musings and detailing of varying experiences and interests providing an accurate portrayal of what was happening around and amongst those living in the world they're in and The Disposable Heroes of Hiphoprisy were one of the many channels doling out such information. Using Public Enemy's blueprint and taking further into the deepest recesses imaginable, Hypocrisy is the Greatest Luxury is an hour of prophetic commentary both past, present and eventual future that, while farfetched and seemingly dated at times, expounds dependency, political views, racial tensions and the dangers of the everyday. A worthwhile glimpse into how innovative hip-hop was continuing to become in 1992 and how Disposable Heroes found themselves properly attuned to the moment. Favorites: Satanic Reverses, Famous and Dandy (Like Amos and Andy), Television, the Drug of the Nation, Language of Violence, Everyday Life Has Become a Health Risk, Socio-Genetic Experiment, Music and Politics.

3.5 stars. Early Michael Franti hip-hop that has activist heavy lyrics. Themes touching on homophobia, misogyny, immigration, race, economics, etc. are poetically carried over laidback beats. Very progressive for it's day. Production value felt a little lacking, but good record nonetheless.

So much of what Michael Franti raps about starting even from the first song is mostly still true today… instead of television you can say social media or substitute, new wars, or economic situation or countries, but nothing has changed in 30 years. Except Michael Franti this band always seemed like the transition band Franti had between the Beatnigs & Spearhead as well as his solo work. But I remember when I bought this album when it came out, thinking how revolutionary it sounded to me go now I know the more things change the more they stay the same.

Spotify is missing tracks 5, 6, 12 and 13, making it hard to get the full seamless album experience. Good album all the same with a industrial jazz vibe

4/13 songs have been removed from Spotify. High Quality early 90's Hip Hop beats with politics as the clear focus. Surprisingly doesn't feel patronizing or begging because it goes in so hard. So forwards its reminds of the Adventure Time POLITICAL RAP scene. It's almost hard to believe this guy went on to create Spearhead and write such cheery music if the politics weren't so consistent.

7/10 kinda cool. Very prescient and good beats. but it was annoying how sometimes he just listed social issues without saying anything about them at all

Rage and System before Rage and System existed

It's a vibe. The beats are varied enough; the texts make sense most of the time and sometimes even contain real gems.

A rapper who starts an album with a line about OPEC... what a way to my heart. It's so of it's time but I have to say I enjoyed it.

I love politics in rap. Clearly he had a lot to say here. I like a lot of what he was putting but there were times that I felt like he was inching into "video games cause violence" territory a few times, but it was the 90s though so. It's funny though because to be honest I associate this style of rapping to Nickelodeon commercials and skits. Obviously it wasn't as political but I feel like I remember an Amanda Show skit or two having a music style VERY similar to this. Neverthless I liked this quite a bit. A little samey near the end but I added a few songs to my favorites. His version of California Uber Allies was really fucking cool. 4

Normally I review albums based on how much I like the songs in the album, but this album is different. Not too say I didn't like listening to this album, but damn it hit me hard about all the issues that were mentioned that we're still struggling with 30+ years later. Listening to this album made me sit back and contemplate things, which I have to give a high rating for. As for the actual music, I like it. The beats are nice and the flow of the rapper is smooth. The big issue I would say is that the album is too long. Even though I enjoy the songs, songs felt like they overstayed their welcome and it was hard getting through the entire album imo. 4/5 Favorite song: Satanic Reverses Worst song: Financial Leprosy

Wow. BASED af. Supporting abortion in the open song? Here for it. Things only got more good from there, critiquing war, govt, race politics, capitalism etc. Obsessed! Although, somewhat depressing to think this was made the year I was born and the things they are discussing have stayed the same or gotten worse. Boo. Sonically, this is not usually my thing. Something about the sparseness of 90s rap doesn’t click with me. But I loved it so much for the message that I didn’t even care.

great OG hip hop

The lyrics deliver simple messages on important topics and a lyric sheet isn’t needed to figure out what the words are or what they mean. Television is an example of this. I understand that some might negatively label the lyrics as simplistic rather than simple. If you want your message to be understood, simpler is better. Sure Mr. Tambourine Man is a great song but nobody other than Bob knows what the lyrics mean. The music is more interesting than on other hip hop albums on the list. The Avant garde horns (whether they be real or programmed?) on Satanic Reverses are a good example of this. Overall it’s one of the hip hop highlights on the list

Michael Franti is a cross between Check E and Gil Scott-Heron. I like the political, head-on easy to interpret lyrics and the overall sound. The unplugged self-reflective "Music and Politics" is a nice change in direction. I think some of the songs run on a bit long. I saw these guys live around the time of this LP and while I can't remember the music much, I do remember the chainsaw (on the LP cover ) as well as an anvil and sheet metal being part of the show. So, I was expecting a more industrial sound, but this is very listenable.

I really dug this! I had previously never heard of them. I learned while reading up on them that Michael Franti fronts Spearhead. Very reminiscent of Public Enemy. I'll add this to my collection.

Mr Burns: “So, What do you think of today’s popular music scene?” Lisa: “I think it distracts people from more important social issues” Mr Burns: “My god, are you ALWAYS on?”

Oh wow. Never listen before - started at 1 but its eclectic style grew on me. Wonder how long it will endure.

I love this. Love it.

Quite good. Very political and ahead lyrically. Great sound. 4 stars

This was a decent album with subject matter just as important now as it was at the album's release, but at the same time I don't know if 13 songs of nothing but raw social commentary is the way to go about it. Good beat throughout though.

Really enjoyed this. I was only familiar with "Television, the Drug of the Nation" and have been meaning to listen to the full album for a while now. The lyrics, beats and samples are all great. I'm surprised really that this album doesn't have the popularity of some of its contemporaries. It is quite lyricly dense in some places, so I feel like I'll need to listen too it a few more times to fully absorb them. The only negatives I would have is that some of the songs are a bit over long, and some are a bit too derivative of Public Enemy. I actually thought I was listening to Chuck D rapping on the title track at first! Other than that though I enjoyed it. It's interesting to hear some of the lyrics and samples discussing cost of living crises and recessions at the time, some of them are exactly the same as sound bites you hear on the news today. I guess its true; the more things change, the more they stay the same.

Rap social et alternatif, très intéressant, sampling créatifs, textes et voix remarquables.

Very interesting and progressive political commentary. Talks a lot about being gay which is often frowned upon in the hip hop community.

The golden age of hip hop. Never heard this before but it's pure gold.

A totally worthwhile hip-hop release. Sounding very late-80s rather than early 90’s. The sad part is the themes still reign far too true.

was this written in 1992 or 2022? super prescient actually like it. pretty chill hiphop vibes

Really like this one, nice beats and feels more like my type of hip-hop. Also liked most of the social messages, even if some of them did feel a little preachy after an hour.

While some of the lyrics fall into cringe territory (at least to a modern ear), this stands as a prime example of everything that was great about early-90s conscious hip-hop.

This was definitely interesting, really enjoyed

Slow start but some excellent tracks

Great old school hip hop album with lyrics charged with politics and anger. The beats and use of samples are also great, it almost sound like industrial hip hop at times. That guy isn't the best rapper around though, his monotonous delivery drives the album a little on the linear side, but all in all this is good stuff.

Great lyrics, but weak delivery. Still a very good rap album!

I feel like the singer doesnt have enough charisma and talent to deliver the text and beat. Good hiphop album overall

Wow! What a surprising album! He might not have the best flow or the most catchy beats, but the lyrics and sincerity make this album outstanding. We can found there more than punchlines, these are literally punch-paragraphs. The title is also absolute gold. Really great one!

Listened to this a while after I was supposed to

Damn. How have I never heard of this album? It totally fits with all the political rap of the 90's but clearly these guys didn't get the play of Public Enemy, NWA, etc. Which is a shame because Michael Franti's lyrics are incredible. Satanic Reverses, Famous and Dandy, Television the Drug of the Nation - what a start to the album. I love how he calls out all of our stupid sheepism and idiot boxing (just substitute tv for social media to get today) in the latter two. I also respect him for not calling out certain issues and then being an asshole on other issues. Case in point, how many other hip hop artists back then did you hear rallying against anti-gay stuff? Language of Violence was refreshing for that reason. Could've used a bit more variety in the beats and delivery (the title track and Dead Kennedy's cover had some of that - more of that please) but really solid album.

Poetically incredible, I wish the musicality of individual songs were a bit differentiated which is why it’s losing a star, but overall impressive album.

Not a fan of hip-hop, for the first time I found myself able to actually listen to the lyrics. While the music might be a tad repetitive, their words managed to convey a strong message. Just like poetry. Makes me sad their social critique is still on point 30 years later.

This takes itself so damn serious, it's more a lecture than an album. It was sometimes jawdropping how relevant it all is 30 years later. All these fears from 1992 are still a big problem or have come to fruition. Hong Kong troubles (Satanic Reverses), code-switching and black minstrelism (Amos and Andy), TV propaganda (TV the Drug), war as theater (Winter), racial health disparities in San Francisco (Everyday Life), upside-down public spending (Financial Leprosy), smarmy gov wants to be prez (CA Uber Alles).... on one hand, it makes me think it's not so bad now if it was always this bad. On the other hand that's damn depressing. I can't give it a 5 in my arbitrary rating system because it's not a lot of replay value. But damn this is a good one. I had no idea about Michael Franti's prior incarnation as a worthy peer of Public Enemy.

Oh yeah, this is great! Nascent industrial hip-hop. I was familiar with "Television, The Drug of the Nation" of course, but hadn't heard anything else by them. It's a little bit clunky in places so not quite 5 stars, but I appreciate the experimentation... Fave track - "California Über Alles" - gotta love some Dead Kennedys getting recycled!

Very nice!

this is one hell of a Rap album..like nothing I've heard before. Highly political but globally so. Their song Television; The Drug of the Nation is jaw droppingly good. And other songs are just as intelligent. The vocals are fantastic...deep resonant, sounding at times like Chuck D but with more soul. The songs are musically interesting and yet easily accessible. Unfortunately Tidal has blocked 3 or 4 songs so I will have to find the album on youtube to get the full experience (I'm especially looking forward to hearing their take on the Dead Kennedy's California Ales.) As it is it's a 4.5 star album

Solo conocía "Television, the Drug of the Nation" por ser teloneros en las giras de U2 y Rage against the machine. Pero el disco en general empieza bien con "Satanic Reverses" , "Famous and Dandy (Like Amos and Andy)" y "Television, the Drug of the Nation". Después también estan bien: "Hypocrisy Is the Greatest Luxury", "Everyday Life Has Become a Health Risk" y "Music and Politics". El disco es hip-hop de los 90, fue importante en su momento y como referencia general está bastante bien para mi gusto, pero no creo que sea algo imprescindible para la mayoría de la gente.

Wow! I really liked this album. Great stories and told clearly (disclaimer, my suckass hearing needs discernable words). Hit me in the intellectuals with his thoughtful approach to describing the modern hypocrisy

enjoyed the sound!

Cool instrumentals with politically charged lyrics. I dig it. Favourites: "Television The Drug Of The Nation", "Hypocrisy Is The Greatest Luxury", "Music And Politics"

very interesting album. talks about some deep stuff. was pleasantly surprised at how much i liked it

Quite liked this. Seemed simple but that made it easy to listen to, and for him to get his message across. "The Winter of the Long Hot Summer" and "Hypocrisy is the Greatest Luxury" my favourite tracks.

p686, 1992. 3.5 stars, leaning towards 4. Came to this absolutely cold. Don't usually like rap or hiphop but this was surprisingly good. Excellent production and accessible. Would happily listen to this again.

Preach

This is such a well thought out album. Every track on here had a message, the lyrics were incredible. Felt like a mix of rap and spoken word. I enjoyed this album a lot Favourite songs: Satanic Reverses, Socio-Genetic Experiment, Music and Politics

Pretty good. Took me a while to get into. But once you're in, you're in.

I didn't listen to hip hop until recently so I'm late to the game. Really enjoying the 90s rap & hiphop scene. Enjoyed this album though by the last two songs, it was blending together. Great lyrics. Great propulsive beat. Added to my collection.

Ah man, i've got to make notes as I listen rather than a week later, so I've re-listened. This is industrial, alternative hip hop, with some great samples. Very well produced, with interesting themes.

“Michael Franti's "intellectual grasp thrusts him immediately into pop's front rank.” I BLOODY LOVE MICHAEL FRANTI.

Whoa, these guys come right at us, don't they. I like it. It totally works for what they're doing. Powerful lyrics and the music is fantastic they create to support them. Very cool rhythms and instrumentals; quite a departure from most hip hop/rap I've heard (which, admittedly, is not a significant sample size). My only real criticism is the lyrics sometimes seem to me to be a bit heavy-handed, but that's forgivable in this context. "Music And Politics" is so cool; reminds me of Beatnik stuff but sounds much more contemporary. I really want to check out their other album (looks like they made only two...too bad; I would LOVE to hear their artistic take on current times).

ну классный хап чо, есть конечно поинтереснее варики лично для меня - трайб колд квест например, но это дело вкуса.

fun album, i’ll give it a 7/10 that’s gotta be the preachiest album I’ve ever heard, but honestly he made plenty of good points. I really liked Music and Politics, those were cool instrumentals to rap/sing over. and then Television, The Drug of the Nation was just a straight up classic. I’ve never been a huge old-school hip-hop fan (which is apparent in my previous reviews) i’m not too critical on it, it just isn’t really for me. This album was unique and had a lot of personality so that’s why i’m giving it the 7/10.

Very lyrically heavy hip hop. Definitely some cool tracks.

Old school hip hop, very political lyrically covering societal issues, global events / politics. Some interesting beats with unique elements, first track has a lot of Jazz Sax playing with the drum beat. Spoken Word style delivery on the lyrics, every now and then he "sings" a bit but mostly very monotone even-keel delivery, but that works because the content seems to be pretty deep. I enjoyed this, though it's a very long album with the majority of songs 6 minutes or longer. Back half kicks up the energy a bit, and has more classic hip hop, still keeps the political messaging but a bit more focused on the beats. California Uber Alles is a great takedown of the governer at the time this album was out. A lot of the messaging still applies today about stripping social programs and stuffing the pockets of the rich, not much has changed.

Favs: Hypocrisy is the Greatest Luxury, INS Mehs: Water Pistol Man This is the first album we've had where I'd never heard the album or artist at all before. I liked it more than I expected. I particularly like his rapping voice and how it flows and his lyrics. "The problem has never been our political logic but the way we enact it We can imagine a perfect society but can't maintain a decent relationship The failure found in the luxuries not in the hardships." Pretty good stuff.

Amazing that the message is still relevant. TDHoH, PE, BDP, KRS-ONE, Marvin Gaye… etc - the list can just go on and on. Black political music has long been speaking truth to power and yet goes unheard. I hope that messages like this will no longer have to be recorded.

Cool ! Alleen te lang

Oooh heerlijke rap vol politiek, bartje wou dat hij zo hard kon spitten

This is pretty dope. Some hard truths on here that is still felt today.

interesting album with alot of smart content

Great lyrics, but it doesn't flow as well as songs

Sick! Pretty sure this is Chuck-D from Public Enemy... Sounds like him. Maybe a side project? Decent, political hip-hop, gotta love it! 4/5

4/5 - good for what it is and what it was

Revolutionary hip hop. kinda like a mix of Gil Scott heron and rage against the machine. no stand out song unfortunately

It's pretty incredible to listen to a hip hop album from 92 that is this scathingly critical of raps tropes from that era (like the homophobia, predilection for violence, capitalist boasting, etc). And it's all backed by a very fascinating collection of jazzy, bluesy yet at times industrial beats. It's a great and truly prescient album. You'll be shocked at how relevant the lyrical work is from the very get go and it's a great shock.

Wow. Powerful, direct, and fearless lyrics that were also philosophical and, at times, prophetic. Starting with satanic verses Tv and Garage beats with a unique sound.

Not every song available on spotify

Political art in the form of music! I just wish Spotify had the full album. Absolutely love it! I’m also finding it hard to believe this is the same guy from Spearhead. Favorite tracks are “Satanic Reverses” (I’m a sucker for any jazz tinged hip-hop) and “Television The Drug of the Nation”.

I was unfamiliar with them tbh which is a shame. Going in I was very intrigued by the album art. This was great, definite 4 stars. I dig the music and everything, plus the lyrics are fantastic. And in a weird bit of timing, I saw an old concert lineup flyer for a club this morning and the very first band listed was this one. (others: Public Enemy, RATM, Redman, KMFDM, Pantera, No Doubt, FEAR)

It was great to finally get a hip hop album

Top album. Touches upon themes and topics that feel very different from other hip hop albums I'm familiar with, great structure and the instrumental side hits on pretty much every track.

I C U

Whole thing isn't on spotify. I'm not sure why. I actually enjoyed what was on there more than I thought I would.

Interesting to listen to some of Franti's earlier stuff. I enjoyed it a lot, but still think to really appreciate him as an artist you need to see him live.

3.8 maybe very Public Enemy

No sé, nunca había escuchado algo así, hip-hop como con jazz e industrialón (?). No me desagradó, pero no sé si la novedad es suficienate para que los vuelva a escuhar. Me gusto Satanic Reverses y Water Pistol Man.

3.9 - the lyrics on this record read more like an issue of the Economist than a rap album. Songs deal with a very broad swath of hot button “controversial” issues of the era - immigration, environment, homophobia, television, consumer culture, fame obsession, fundies, white supremacy...these issues are still very much ones that plague us today (with the exception of television). In terms of sonics, there’s much to admire. Vocals are put way way out in front of the mix and the lyrics punch through crystalline clear. MC delivery is smooth and even. Much preachier, much headier, much more left leaning politically, more forward-thinking especially in its condemnation of homophobia, not especially violent or menacing in a physical manner, less gangsta, more well read, drawing in historical perspectives. At the same time, there are lots of dilentattish moments where he gets a little lost in his own head. Also the production/beats on some of these songs is often tinny and basic. For all its strengths and warts, I can say it sounds unlike any other hip hop album I’ve heard.

Great beats. Michael Franti does his rapping professor thing. TIL Charlie Hunter was involved with this. Dead Kennedys cover is great too. Spotify is missing some of the tracks but I found them as uploaded videos in YouTube.

Lo triste de escuchar este disco es ver que no mucho ha cambiado desde 1992 respecto a los problemas sociopolíticos, pero también, extrañamente, se sienten envejecidos ciertos reclamos, quizá más por la forma que por el fondo (ejemplo: esto de la televisión como la caja idiota, pues está un poquito pasado de moda). En ese sentido, sería interesante una "actualización" del disco. Musicalmente, me gusta que haya distintos beats, hace que el disco suene diverso e incluso se permite desvíos más importantes como en "The Winter of the Long Hot Summer" o en "Music And Politics". El final del álbum también es un poco dark. Disfruté sobre todo "Langue of Violence", "Hypocrisy is the Greatest Luxury" y "Socio-Genetic Experiment". 7.5/10

The scary thing is a lot of this could have been written yesterday, almost 30 years later. I enjoyed the intensity and clarity of purpose.

Never done heard it before. It’s great

In the vein of Public Enemy. I like the atmospheres created here. Wish this style of social/political protest music was able to catch on more.

This dude was ahead of his time. Better musical poetry than most

Political AF. Public Enemy mixed with like uhhhh Industrial jazz or something. It's alright, definitely unique, a little dry for me and every song is llllooooonnnngggg. Sounds like a slam poetry session but they can't kick the guy off stage cause he'll stab you. Props for a California Uber Alles cover though. Jumping between Spotify and YouTube to listen to this in full never helps the score, is what it is.

Взагалі не шарив цей проект. Флоу нагадало Чака Ді (але гірше звісно) і чесно кажучи десь на половині альбоми здалось що це нудно і дуже preachy, але якось я втягнувся і в цілому скажу що Hypocrisy Is The Greatest Luxury мені сподобався. 3.5

Lyrics are 100% accurate and 0% nuance.

Mér fannst þetta aftur á móti bæði nokkuð töff og skemmtilegt.

This is #day692 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and… industrial/conscious hip-hop from the early '90s, you're saying, aka when hip-hop was golden. Well, bring it on! This is a strong 3 out of 5. Looking forward to #day693.

Political lyrics with some good '90s beats, enjoyable. Turns out we're still dealing with the same bullshit 30 years later

Meh +

C’est bien et c’est très clairvoyant sur le monde d'aujourd'hui. C’est aussi long et souvent répétitif. Playlist pick : Satanic Reverses

Music and production feel a little fated the message does not

Less dated than I thought it would be. Turns out the the problems of 1992 haven't gone away. New names, same games.

Certainly interesting to listen to, with themes that are still relevant unfortunately. Grew on me musically as I went through the album

In my early 90s fee fees with this one. My two year old self would have had its mind blown if it heard this back then.

At times this record feels too "preachy" and it comes off more annoying than anything. The production is pretty good though. Favourite Track(s): Music and Politics Least Favourite Track(s): Television The Drug Of The Nation, INS Greencard A-19 191 500

Inte alls bekant med sen innan, men kändes stabilt och med intressanta influenser. Kanske skulle höjas av fler lyssningar.

Kind of a jam?

First listen

Labai turinio pilnas tekstas, rimtos problemos sprendžiamos tikrai mhm. Įdomu paklausyt, kas ten blogo amerikoj

It's crazy how much HASN'T changed in America since this came out!

een rap album dat ik best te pruimen vond, de wonderen zijn de wereld nog niet uit... ligt voor een groot deel aan de boosheid die uit de teksten springt (beetje RATM's Zach De La Rocha) ipv de gebruikelijke 'mijn rechterkloot is groter dan de jouwe'

public enemy... light? that's not quite fair, but it doesn't hit as hard. enjoyable but doesn't stand out enough.

Conspiracy theory rapper. Closer to spoken word with music than music itself. Decent enough.

Fine but not my thing

- Hard yes to socially conscious music, hard no to sexual predators and narcissists... talk about Hypocrisy is the Greatest Luxury. "As multiple women come forward with allegations of misconduct against Bay Area musician Michael Franti, one of his earliest collaborators says he is not surprised. Rono Tse, who co-founded the politically charged hip-hop duo Disposable Heroes of Hiphoprisy with Franti in the early 1990s, claims Franti cut him out of ownership rights to their work when the group signed with Island Records, and alienated fellow bandmates even as he preached about community and social justice." This list continues to disappoint, just crawling with predators. Yet another group to boycott. - Great voice. I also enjoyed the social commentary of the lyrics/themes, though I didn't find the lyrics super musical (other than when they had that fun punchy rhythmic feel and on Music and Politics because it more jazzy & the title and final tracks). The beat was fine, I guess, not super memorable and definitely doesn't feel fresh today. - The songs are pretty wordy, and in those areas, the flow really suffers - e.g., especially in Famous and Dandy. I also started getting kind of bored after a few songs - the music wasn't interesting enough, and I think the lyrics would probably be better in an article than music, though I appreciate them for having a message. - I think Satanic Reverses was my favourite of the tracks - everything worked together well, and the flow and beat were great. The rest didn't really live up to that one, unfortunately. - The instrumentation is also felt a little too packed most of the time - I could use more breathing space and melody, throughout. - I definitely found the songs and album too long.

Yeah

Incisive political takes and heavy sound collage beats, but really not all that enjoyable or compelling.

Ok but, not my taste

Good

alltså politisk hip-hop är banger

I've always liked Television The Drug of the Nation and like the rest of this album it still sounds pretty prescient today. However, over the course of an hour, it does become a bit heavy handed and you yearn for just a slither of light relief from the political hectoring, so ultimately I'm going for a 3.

One of the stronger hip‑hop albums I’ve reached so far. Its sharp political bite and spoken‑word looseness give it a real sense of urgency, and Michael Franti’s voice carries genuine conviction rather than empty sloganeering. When it hits, it really hits — angry, smart, and unapologetically confrontational. That said, it overstays its welcome. The message is hammered home so relentlessly that the later tracks start to blur together, and what initially feels powerful eventually becomes repetitive. Trimmed down, it could’ve been exceptional; as it stands, it’s very good, just too long for its own good.

Well... this was fine. I appreciated the music and the messaging (which sadly is more relevant/worse today than it was over 30 years ago) but the lyrics bordered on cheesy.

Interesting mix of 90s hip-hop elements with complex lyricism and strong messaging. The songs were intelligent but it sometimes felt like the complexity of the words got in the way of the song being catchy. Overall- a decent album. 3.5/5.

"Television the drug of the nation" is a song that is still very real in its ideas and lyrics today. I appreciated that. The lyrics were cool, i think I should listen to it again if i want to appreciate it more

I really enjoyed this one, reminded me of Public Enemy but that’s never a bad thing.

Jazz rap's response to Public Enemy. Is this the worst great band name of all time, or the best terrible band name of all time? The lyrics are good, and beats alright, but I don't feel like Michael Franti really gets himself out of the hole that his repetitive, dated, monotone flow puts him in

Really well constructed and performed. A great album to listen to once, but likely only once.

Four songs from the album were missing on Apple Music, but I think I got the gist of it.

Found this quote on Wikipedia: "The big problem with Disposable Heroes was that it was a record people listened to because it was good for them - kind of like broccoli." and I do tend to agree. The album is quite dense, and full of ideas on top of mostly moody beats. I was still glad to have heard this.

way too long but i did like the lyrics

I enjoyed this much more than I expected to. Lyrically interesting.

Album is still applicable to today’s society, I completely agree with the overall theme and message of the album. With that said, I didn’t care that much for the musical nature of the album, a decent album with a powerful message

★★★½

Better than I remember but still can feel one note-y.

This was ok, I’d not heard of the artist before

The album was somewhat good, but it felt like a slightly flat Public Enemy The beats were uninteresting a lot of the time, and the rapping was ok but nothing special. Some of the verses I enjoyed, it's a shame they can't write a chorus for shit. They think repeating the title of the song passes for one I did enjoy their take on California Uber Alles though that was fun

It is a very direct album, to the point of being almost just a speech at times. I think it rises above being just a speech overall. Good to listen to once, probably wouldn't again.

Liked this back in the day, but it's harder to return to. The socially-conscious rap is so unsubtle, closer to sloganeering than serious thought. And though some tracks still have some life - Famous and Dandy, Television - and I have a soft spot for their rewriting of California Uber Alles, it's very bloated as an album. There's a better 30 minute version somewhere in here.

okay

Interesting lyrics when I paid attention, but otherwise nothing particularly special

I enjoyed this, but did feel it was quite long and quite samey. Suspect it might grow with more listens

i found this a bit repetitive with some clunky lyrics but i really appreciate what it was trying to do. a shame these lyrics are still so relevant...

'TV the Drug of a Nation' is classic, well thought out IMO. The rest of the album gets a bit dark and depressing.

Liked this more than I thought I would. Were they an influence on 2 Skinnee Js?

Bonne découverte

Usually I don't really care about lyrics much, but this album's lyrics raises it up to an acceptable rating for me. The music itself isn't much special, but its very sharp societal commentary makes this a worthwhile album for me. 3/5

beats und flow warn nicht so meins, aber die texte ...

The album is full of juvenile maximalism inspired lyrics. However, I enjoyed those lyrics and voice of the artist. It’s that old-school hip-hop about social problems with kind approach.

Pretty good

At first I thought this would be a mess, but it hooked me in the second track. Overall. A nice surprise.

3.5

Two things I can really tell from listening to this era of Michael Franti, He takes a lot of his rap style from Chuck D, which one he leans into that is actually some of the better parts of the album, and I think he wants to be the Gil Scott-Heron of the 90s. But Gil Scott-Heron and he isn't. He's a bit too on the nose, and doesn't really lay things out poetically as much as just tell you what's happening. I think "Television The Drug of America" is a prime example of that influence and also why he falls short. There are two songs on the album that I actually really kind of enjoyed one is the title track which is probably one of the many Chuck D sounding raps. I can honestly say if more of the album sounded like this I probably would give it a higher rating. The other was "Music and Politics" which and it's little acoustic guitar jazz bed kind of reminds me of where he would go with his later work with Spearhead. I actually like his Spearhead music a little bit better it's more positive forward which is more to my liking, and I have seen him twice (at Beale Street Music Festival & Live On The Green both on the 20teens) and they were actually really enjoyable concerts. But I would not say his music is something I would make a constant diet. And yes I do like "Say Hey (I Love You)", kind of a guilty pleasure. Sue me. But as for this album I think it's a bit too much of the time, and quite frankly not the best example. But passable. (6.35) ★★★

о це ось називається музика з політичними донесеннями. враження немов потап рівнявся по стилю саме на цього творця. тільки в потапа були пісні не серйозні. та ще й пропагандичня зуйея. мда.. цікавий альбом, змістовний. Стиль не дуже мій.

Very enjoyable. Good 90s beats. Woke poetry but in a good way. Loses points for replayability

Not my type of music

It looked good and had some good production and also a noble message but something about it doesn't ask you to come back.

Now, this album has 13 songs. Spotify states 13 songs. But only 9 appear. I did find the DK cover on another EP (which was awesome btw). I liked this album. Definite Gil Scott-Heron vibes. This is from 1992. Is the message relevant today? Very much so.

Almost a 4 !I liked alot about this but none of it hit hard enough to make an impact. He talks a lot of sense though.

Satanic Reverses - 3.5/5 Famous And Dandy (Like Amos 'N' Andy) - 3/5 Television The Drug Of The Nation - 2.5/5 Language of Violence - 3.5/5 Everyday Life Has Become A Health Risk - 3/5 INS Greencard A-19 191 500 - 3/5 Socio-Genetic Experiment - 3/5 Music And Politics - 3/5 Financial Leprosy - 4/5

Hypocrisy is the Greatest Luxury You could say this is very prescient, that the social and political themes Franti (V ‘03!) raps about are very apposite today, or you could say same as it ever was - the inequities of 1991 aren’t just the same as they are in 2026, they are the same as 1977 or 1968 or 1951 or whichever year you might choose. Or you could say, like the album cover, it's all very obvious and simplistic - tv bad, government bad, inequality bad etc etc. Musically it does feel caught between a kind of Public Enemy-lite and a more Jazzy golden age of hip hop sound, and it’s definitely more successful when it leans on the latter - the piano and flute parts of Famous and Dandy are much better than its siren laden intro. Television the Drug of the Nation is of course well known and it is great, if a little heavy handed in places, again leaning more on that golden age jazziness rather than the more frenetic Bomb Squad sound. Language of Violence, The Winter of the Long Hot Summer, California Uber Alles and Water Pistol Man are all good too, variously low key and jazzy or in the case of California Uber Alles tracing the line of social protest and DIY from punk to hip hop. There are a few dips, Socio Genetic Experiment is strangely annoying and Music and Politics has the earnest discomfort of attending a slam poetry night. It’s on the cusp of 3 and 4 - a lot of it is great, but for me it doesn’t quite seem to come together as a whole, so I’ll go with the highest of 3s. 📺📺📺 Playlist submission: Television, the Drug of the Nation

Interesting. But not titillating. The samples are not used to provide killer hooks but repeating grooves (usually bass), over which to deliver the message. Musically, the variety is minimal. There are some tracks that lean more to a Public Enemy/Bomb Squad sound ('Hypocrisy is the Greatest Luxury'); and many more the Native Tongues' relaxed style, now and again backed with dub bass - almost trip-hop basslines ('Socio-Genetic Experiment has a bassline Massive Attack would be proud of). 'Television the Drug of a Nation' turns out to be the most memorable track, "where sound bite politics are served to the fast-food culture". Great lyrics, a catchy hook, and something like a chorus. Whilst indifferent to the music, it's not really about that now is it. Some cutting observations about societal injustices that prove to be startlingly prescient, delivered almost by spoken-word beat poetry. Very well observed and articulated such that it is always interesting. Just not melodically concerned, not interested in providing the listener with any musical variety. Still - a vital piece of work.

Still extremely timely. I feel like each song could have been shorter though

Modern day spin on gil scott heron. Well educated piece of music with a popular sound. Overly concious music like this that lacks subjective input is always a tricky listen for me because I somepoint I take the headphones off and I say "ALRIGHT I GET IT!" But in addition to my light intolerance that digital underground/public enemy beat and flow is unmistakably annoying also. Bro is trying to hit a word count on the songs instead of letting them breathe. 3 stars for performance 2 stars for production. Average 2.5.

Depressing as hell that these lyrics are still so relevant over 30 years later - fuck-all has changed. Appreciate the message but not so much the delivery. 2.5

se odeia e critica os estados unidos tá em casa né mas fato é que esse álbum realmente precisava de uma produção mais aprofundada tem muita beat cansada no meio do caminho

eh, rap de mensagem de ótima qualidade. mas concordo co amigo, precisava de uma produção mais polida. não que seja ruim, mas é longo e fica mei cansativo...

Not my kind of music, but the content is still relevant and true today. 3/5

Apprezzato molto le sonorità e i testi politicizzati (e che si capivano), manca un poco di emozione nel timbro della voce e nelle basi

Solid

He may be spittin'

Its been 25+ years since I've listened to the full album but still familiar. Introduced to them by U2 having them open up on the Zoo TV tour, and certainly fit - definitely didn't fit the other rap coming out at the time.

niente di speciale ma non l’ho ascoltato benissimo, però interessante per la denuncia sociale

feels like it fits somewhere in the realm between public enemy and gil scott-heron. michael franti's flow sounds a bit dated these days (definitely of the golden age of hip hop) but is definitely owed to the sound of chuck d. it's a pretty boldfaced political album, which i don't mind, but also is a bit heavyhanded with the political statements. i'm sure to some people this album feels like a lecture. the beats here are alright and are definitely of the time, but there aren't too many moments that stand out from one another. i wish i felt stronger about this album. it has a lot of characteristics of music i would like, but it feels less than the sum of its parts.

Interesting political album.

Wow, a hiphop album on this list that I've never heard of. Not sure if I should be impressed or suspicious. Let's see. First impression is the guy sounds a lot like Chuck D, both in voice, delivery and subject matter. Then sometimes he sounds like Gil Scott Heron--I think intentionally. Then throw in some Jello Biafra. I feel like this is something every anarchist kid dreams of, starting with the name. Kind of like Immortal Technique but without the battle rap chops and flair. It definitely sounds like 1992, but not necessarily in a good way. The tracks aren't super well-done, especially given this is smack-dab in the middle of the golden era of rap. I love the message, but his flow, rhyme schemes, and the beats, aren't super compelling. 3/5

Hypocrisy Is The Greatest Luxury along with being one of the biggest mouthfuls of an album to say (especially if you include the group's name too) is a pretty good hip-hop album. It apparently appears to be industrial hip-hop which is a genre i haven't heard much of together but quite a lot of separately. And i see it with some of the electronic vibes in some of the instrumentals which are pretty good sounding by the way and i also like that the lyrics aren't terribly shallow which is a problem which plagues a lot of hip-hop records. My only issue with this album is the length of some of the songs which in some cases, go on for far longer than they need to. It is still a pretty solid album despite this blunder. Best Song: California Uber Alles Worst Song: The Winter of the Long Hot Summer

鼓还挺爽的