Three years later, Norman Rogers aka Terminator X of Public Enemy, returns to release a studio album, his second and last: is made together with the Godfathers of Threatt, a collective made up of about ten elements, Whodini, Flatlinerz, Punk Barbarians, Joe Sinistr, Melquan, Prince Collin and DJ Kool Herc, who performs the skits. The production is credited to Terminator X and Carl Ryder, while collaborates, in addition to the aforementioned Godfathers of Threatt, also Chuck D, Ice Cube, Ice-T, MC Lyte, Bonnie 'N' Clyde, Grandmaster Flash, Cold Crush Brothers & the Fantastic Five.
Distributed by Polygram, Def Jam (via Rush Associated Labels) and the Terminator X P.R.O. Division label, the album achieves some commercial success, reaching the top 40 among rnb records. Nonetheless, it's practically ignored by specialized critics and enthusiasts: the fact is pretty curious because Terminator X brought a lot of eighties hip-hop legends here. There are Chuck D, Ice Cube, Ice-T and MC Lyte in one track, as well as Whodini, Grandmaster Flash, Grandmaster Caz and DJ Kool Herc. Consisting of 23 cuts including 10 skits, for a total of 56 minutes of listening, it boasts a fairly simplistic production by the member of Public Enemy, and good rapping that old school aficionados might appreciate more than a casual listener.
The performances of the lesser-known artists don't particularly impress. The Punk Barbarians open and close the disc: they deliver with a rough and slow hardcore style in "Kidds from Terror", on a heavy boom bap with hard, regular and pounding drum machine, however, they fail to repeat themselves in the last song, spitting with an annoying style on a simplistic sound carpet over a messy drum, and easy samples. Melquan performs decently on a simple boom bap on "Kunchtime", and Joe Sinistr brings out a slow hardcore delivery on the lean rhythm made for "Under the Sun", backed up by hard, heavy, dry and pounding drum.
"Mashitup" boasts a near-spoken delivery by Prince Collin on a cheap and simplistic beat, tight and pounding drum. Bonnie 'N' Clyde offers a cheerful, slow, syncopated, festive performance on a lean production with a vibrant, pounding, hard and heavy drum. Choice number seventeen is an honest posse track on boom bap hard, with pounding and heavy dry drum and decent sample. Finally, among the acts you may not have heard, the Flatlinerz bring the best performance, probably: boom bap jazzy with glossy samples and slow and incessant midtempo drum, the production has an higher quality than that obtained by the other guys, and the group delivers with a rough, smooth, hardcore and eclectic style.
Even among professionals there are ups and downs. The Whodini's joint is discreet, the guys knock down some bars with acceptable style for six minutes on an honest musical carpet. Grandmaster Flash manages to do worse in "G'Damn Datt DJ Made My Day", where everything seems to be wrong: Terminator X delivers a simplistic boom bap, with random samples, poor scratches and a cheap, messy drum. The delivery of Flash is whispered-spoken softly, ends up being overwhelmed by the drum machine, and due to bad mixing, practically nothing is heard.
Well Grandmaster Caz's Cold Crush Brothers with the Fantastic Five in "Stylewild '94", delivering briskly and energetically on a quick, skeletal drum (although most performers sound average), so the most prominent track is the atomic posse "Sticka". Simple boom bap, regular drum, fast and accessible, decent sample. It opens Chuck D with smooth hardcore delivery, simple hook homage to the Beastie Boys, Ice-T quick velvety rapping that kills the cut. MC Lyte flows powerful, hardcore and dope in the third verse, then the battle rap is closed by Ice Cube, slow, hardcore.
It's not a better LP than the debut, however, the constant presence of old school icons makes it an almost relevant and important document more for its historical value than for its quality.
Rating: 6/10.
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