Critical Beatdown

by Ultramagnetic MC's

Critical Beatdown cover art
  • Type: Album
  • Released: 4 October 1988
  • Label: Next Plateau
  • Country: United States
  • Length: 1:15:48
  • Community rating: 4.21/5 from 5 ratings

Album Notes & Community Reviews

Driven by Ced Gee's pioneering, chaotic sampling techniques and Kool Keith's surreal, off-kilter, sci-fi-laced lyricism, 'Critical Beatdown' is a boom-bap landmark. The production utilized the E-mu SP-1200 in ways previously unheard, chopping funk breaks into dense, energetic collages that laid the groundwork for East Coast hardcore hip-hop. It remains an incredibly forward-thinking, highly rhythmic, and eccentric classic of the genre's golden era.

Genres

Descriptors: male-vocalist, progressive, rhythmic, sampling, science fiction, technical, rap, old-school, underground, experimental, classic

Tracklist

  1. Watch Me Now (4:47)
  2. Ease Back (3:24)
  3. Ego Trippin' (5:26)
  4. Moe Luv's Theme (2:14)
  5. Kool Keith Housing Things (3:15)
  6. Traveling at the Speed of Thought - Remix (1:51)
  7. Feelin' It (3:31)
  8. One Minute Less (1:58)
  9. Ain't It Good to You (3:33)
  10. Funky - Remix (3:40)
  11. Give the Drummer Some (3:43)
  12. Break North (3:24)
  13. Critical Beatdown (3:42)
  14. When I Burn (2:32)
  15. Ced-gee (Delta Force One) (2:48)
  16. Funky - Original 12 Version (4:47)
  17. Bait - Original Full Length (4:26)
  18. A Chorus Line (feat. Tim Dog) - Original 12 Version (6:04)
  19. Traveling at the Speed of Thought - Hip House Club Mix (4:22)
  20. Ego Trippin' (1:10)
  21. Mentally Mad - Original 12 Version (5:03)

Credits

  • Ultramagnetic MC's - primary artist, producer
  • Kimberly Brathwaite Moore - coordinator [production coordinator]
  • Icon Design - design [album design]
  • Andre Harrell - executive-producer
  • Carlton Batts - lacquer cut by, mastered by
  • Janette Beckman - photography by
  • Ced Gee - producer
  • Cedric Miller - written-by
  • Keith Matthew Thornton - written-by
  • Maurice Smith - written-by
  • Trevor Randolph - written-by
  • Paul C - producer

More from Ultramagnetic MC's: full discography