AAVV — The First Priority Music Family: Basement Flavor

Compilation by First Priority Music roster. Eleven tracks performed by Alliance, Audio Two, MC Lyte, Positive K, Mitchie Mee, LA Luv, Milk Dee, Barsha, Soul Shock and See-Que. The rhythms are provided by King of Chill, Audio Two, Beat Facory, Alliance and Solid Productions.

The LP is opened by a pretty mediocre cut of the Alliance, simple and minimal, skinny rhythm, frenetic drum machine, uninspired delivery of the group. "Many Styles" by Audio Two follows: excellent light rhythm, funky-jazzy, syncopated and light drum machine, minimal, sublime delivery of the two rappers with a loose and peaceful style, chill vibes, good track. MC Lyte & Positive K have the third song: syncopated, simple, funky rhythm, back and forth delivery of Positive K, unknown rapper from the Bronx, and Lyte, among the pioneers of the female rap game, honest hook, soulful and jazzy bridges, decent delivery of Positive, good one from the female MC.

Lyte remains for the next cut, "Victory Is Calling", with Michie Mee and LA Luv, unknown Canadian hip reggae duo: simple rhythm, essential, frenetic, minimal drum machine in the background, good back and forth delivery of the duo, MC Lyte destroys all with an absurd flow here and decides to tear the disc with "Survival of the Fittest". This piece has a dark and simple rhythm, with hard, determined and minimal drum machine in background, the emcee spits smooth and tough, rough and tight, killing the beat with a clean, crisp, crystalline flow. A second song of Positive K follows, simple and minimal rhythm, syncopated drum machine, Milk Dee hook, decent and syncopated delivery of the Bronx rapper.

Second pretty good tune by Audio Two, minimal and simple rhythm, decent delivery. Michie Mee & La Luv return to "On This Mic", with another good reggae-esque delivery on a syncopated and tight, skeletal rhythm. "Kibbles and Bits" finds the Alliance, more inspired by a dark and tight jazzy-funky rhythm, simple, decent track. Third cut and it begins to understand why Positive K has remained so hidden on the shelves behind a hidden door in the basement of the hip hop: he's not very capable.

Here, tries to help him Barsha (after Mc Lyte and Milk Dee), in vain, because Positive moves meandering badly on this simple and syncopated rhythm, Barsha drops bars with a better confidence with the rhythm, punctual on the mic, offers a flowing verse. Positive still too clumsy, awkward. "Break the Limits" is the last song: it's a shake of Soulshock, energetic and hardcore delivery on a minimal and tight rhythm, simple with a hard and easy-going drum machine in background.

Compilation of Priority Music (distributed by Atlantic) which is very affected by the Run-DMC influence everywhere, but it's good accessible listening, the first part is quite strong thanks to the presence of Lyte, the rest is passable. 6/10.