-01 - What's On Your Mind
02 - Teach The Children
03 - Pass The Hand Grenade
04 - Casualties Of War
05 - Rest Assured
06 - The Punisher
07 - Relax With Pep
08 - Keep The Beat
09 - What's Going On
10 - Know The Ledge
11 - Don't Sweat The Technique
12 - Kick Along
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"Don't Sweat The Technique" would be Eric B. and my all-time favorite emcee's last album together. It dropped in '92, two years after "Let The Rhythm Hit'em," and one year after the unofficial end of hiphop's Golden Age. It is not mentioned as often as their other three albums, but it is a classic mainly because they took some new approaches.The thing that makes this album so endearing is that Rakim offers some heartfelt, sincere social commentary unlike anything he had done up to that point. I mean all you really ask from Ra is the smoothest voice and flow, some mind-blowing battle rhymes, and some Islam references. But once he starts speaking out against drugs, gun violence, and how the projects are treated by the government, it's like trying to give him three thumbs up! It's like a respected mayor who decides to speak up for his people to the state and federal governments. Powerful! The two songs to hear this are "Teach The Children" and "What's Going On," which you will have to listen to over and over again. They both have great beats in their own ways too."What's On Your Mind" starts off the album and is a great seductive ballad (even better than "Mahogany"). After "Teach The Children" is the uptempo, energetic "Pass The Hand Grenade"-which I think is a metaphor for the microphone. After this is the classic "Casualties of War," which Ra put his feet in the shoes of a soldier fighting against Hussein, which is still relevent today. It's a song you definitely need to hear, especially with a great beat. The album suffers a slow point, somewhat, tracks 5-8, but even these contain "The Punisher" (the most angry and straight out battle rhymes of Ra's career), the slower-paced "Relaxed With Pep" and "Keep The Beat" (another seductive track that is not necessarily needed). After these is "What's Going On" (need I say more) and the popular juice and clout tale "Know The Ledge." The title track is next and although the rhymes are pretty stale for Ra, but the jazzy chorus will keep your attention. It ends off on a strong point with "Kick Along."Definitely add this album to your hiphop and Rakim collection. He expanded the limits of his lyrical capacity on the album "Don't Sweat The Technique." Although Public Enemy and KRS-One have spent most of their careers doing social commentary, when Rakim does it on this album you can't help but welcome it and really ponder what he's saying. Their fourth album, their fourth classic. What else can you say about the best and most influential duo that hiphop has ever witnessed?
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[ mp3 @ VBR / Lame 3.98 / Joint Stereo / 79,6 mb ]
(( Average Bitrate: 232 kbps ))
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Audio Sample: -The Punisher --
Audio Sample: -The Punisher --
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Don't Sweat The Technique
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