When I first saw "The Message" as my first album in journey through Black music, I thought it was going to sound like Kurtis Blow on disco tracks. I did not expect beautiful singing & yacht rock instrumentals. To be fair, it was only two tracks, but it is a more diverse album than I expected. I enjoyed most of the tracks from "It's Nasty" & "The Message" to "It's A Shame" & "Dreamin". Every song is at least 4 minutes long with two 7 minute tracks in a row at the end. This gives the tracks space in between verses & lets the instrumentals shine. The only major gripe I have with this album is that the rappers aren't credited well, especially for someone who doesn't know the members of the Furious Five. I would have to give this album an 81/100.

Tical