Rating:
Genre:
Rap
Release Date: 03/24/1992
Run Time: 61:08
Widely adored when it appeared in 1992,
Arrested Development's debut album,
3 Years, 5 Months & 2 Days in the Life Of... seemed to herald a shining new era in
alternative rap, when audiences and critics of all colors could agree on the music's importance. Of course, that didn't happen, as
Dr. Dre instead took
gangsta rap to the top of the charts with
The Chronic. In retrospect,
3 Years... isn't quite as revolutionary as it first seemed, though it's still a fine record that often crosses the line into excellence. Its positive messages were the chief selling point for many
rock critics, and it's filled with pleas for black unity and brotherly compassion, as well as a devotion to the struggle for equality. All of that is grounded in a simple, upbeat spirituality that also results in tributes to the homeless (the hit
"Mr. Wendal"), black women of all shapes and sizes, and the natural world. It's determinedly down to earth, and that aesthetic informs the group's music as well. Their sound is a laid-back, southern-fried groove informed by rural
blues, African percussion,
funk, and melodic
R&B. All of it comes together on the classic single
"Tennessee," which takes lead rapper
Speech on a spiritual quest to reclaim his heritage in a south still haunted by its history. It helped
Arrested Development become the first
rap group to win a Grammy for Best New Artist, and to top numerous year-end critical polls. In hindsight, there's a distinct political correctness -- even naïveté -- in the lyrics, which places the record firmly in the early '90s; it's also a bit self-consciously profound at times, lacking the playfulness of peers like
the Native Tongues. Nonetheless,
3 Years... was a major influence on a new breed of
alternative southern hip-hop, including
Goodie Mob,
OutKast, and
Nappy Roots, and it still stands as one of the better albums of its kind.
~Steve Huey, All Music Guide
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