Rating:
Genre:
Rap
Release Date: 10/17/1995
Run Time: 64:04
The debut full-length from
Masta Ace, and only one with
the Juice Crew (with whom he rapped on
"The Symphony"),
Take a Look Around is as much a testament to
Marley Marl and
DJ Mister Cee's production as it as to the very able rhyming skills of the collegiate-looking
Ace. Though the album never gave the MC the success that other
Juice Crew members -- including
Big Daddy Kane, to whom he is often compared -- had, it's still a great representation of what early
hip-hop was and could be, both light-hearted (
"Can't Stop the Bumrush," "Me and the Biz," which, contrary to popular belief, does not feature
Mr. Markie, but instead an impersonation by
Masta Ace) and socially aware (
"The Other Side of Town," "I Got Ta"), confident without being ridiculous (seen, for example, in
"Letter to the Better," which was also the B-side to his first single,
"Together," also included here). It's not groundbreaking stuff, but it's consistent and a lot of fun, high-quality
rap that shows off the Brooklyn MC's easygoing flow and storytelling skills, a solid hour of music without any filler, and a definite must-have for any fans of old-school
hip-hop.
~Marisa Brown, All Music Guide
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