Second studio album by the Lawrence hip-hop duo 1982, consisting of producer Statik Selektah and rapper Termanology. The album is a sequel to the debut, released two years earlier, and features the collaboration of Shawn Stockman of the Boyz II Men, Mac Miller, Bun B, Roc Marciano, Havoc, Freddie Gibbs, Crooked I and Lil' Fame.
Superb jazzy boom bap introductory by Statik on the title track, with soul samples from "I'm So Glad There's You" by Perry & Sanlin, Termanology delivers with a determined style. The opening song anticipates what is perhaps the best song of the duo, "Lights Down": scratches, soulful female sample from Tommy McGee's "Too Make You Happy", reflective bars from Termanology, which creates a classic. The third song has a more cheerful soulful-jazzy rhythm, the guy continues to have an inspired and discreet-good rapping style. "Shining" suffers from an intro with too many performers, Statik, Term, Reks and Sheila B; cheerful jazzy boom bap, the rapper offers bars with a faster flow than usual, closes an outro of Sheila B, uncredited.
"Happy Days" is another highlight: Statik Selektah puts on a timeless sample from seventies soul, Moments' "I Feel So Good Again", realizing a sad, gloomy jazzy boom bap. Mac Miller opens the games immediately attempting to annihilate the beat with one of his smoothest flows, Shawn Stockman's good hook, Termanology is fluid in the second verse; hook again sung by Stockman supported by a bright light bridge of Statik, then the mic switches to Bun B, which completes the work with his velvety style. "Too Long" is a solid track, light and excellent soulful-jazzy boom bap from the Boston producer, good smooth, fluid and agile rapping by Term. Statik creates yet another sublime boom bap rhythm in the seventh track, the MC is perfect here and makes one of the best tracks on the tape, with good flowing flow.
A short skit separates the two sections of the record. Roc Marciano and Havoc are the guests of "Thug Poets": Statik boom bap smooth jazzy, Termanology has good flow and is smooth on this beat, scratches on the hook are reminiscent of a typical Preemo production, then Roc and Havoc kill the track. The tenth choice boasts a jazzy midtempo sound carpet: the looped sample in the background doesn't seem to work, the producer decides to lower the depth to acceptable levels, while Term does his homework. The next two choices are quite decent, the production side surpasses the quality of the 1982 rapper's performance.
"Make It Out Alive" features a hardcore musical carpet with jazzy elements: Term delivers unusually hardcore, Freddie Gibbs raises the level with raw and tight style; perhaps not the best beat for Crooked I, which closes this track in a subdued mood, despite fast, smooth and hardcore rapping. Statik offers a midtempo boom bap for Lil' Fame, the MOP rapper immediately opens the track in a sort of intro, then starts Termanology. Fizzy Womack on the second verse, he delivers hardcore on a light beat, and the contrast works, although the MC seems to dominate the sound carpet chosen by Lawrence's beatmaker, which is almost imperceptible under the lyrical fire of Fame. The album is closed by "Time Ticking", an excellent rhythm by Statik, a decent proof of Termanology.
The production of Statik Selektah is quite solid in the first part, decreasing in the final, although managing to maintain a certain level of quality. Termanology struggles everywhere, brings out as many arguments as he has in his books and is really working hard: he sounds as confident as possible, trying to spit out his rhymes as best he can, the rapping sounds honest and decent, overall, not optimal. It's the guests who carry the torches that illuminate this tape on its long journey: "Happy Days", "Thug Poets", "Make It Out Alive", arrive every three solo tracks of 1982, and arrive at the crucial points after some dark and greys moments in the course of the LP hike. These cuts, together with "Live It Up" and the solo cut "Lights Down", are among the best moments of the edition. Not too many steps forward compared to the debut, quite accessible, recommended to fans.
Rating: 6.5/10.
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