Teren Delvon Jones aka Del tha Funkeé Homosapien (then Del the Funky Homosapien) was born in Oaktown, California, and he's the cousin of the rapper and producer Ice Cube, beginning his artistic career writing lyrics for Ice Cube's group Da Lench Mob. After signing with Street Knowledge Records, a label associated with Ice Cube, with the help of his cousin, Jones realizes his debut album in 1991.
P-funk debut tribute to George Clinton for Del the Funkeé Homosapien, Ice Cube's cousin who gets him a record deal even with Elektra Records. The beats of the LP are provided by Boogiemen, Ice Cube and by Del himself, this production group brings out funky rhythms and fresh samples, often paying homage directly or indirectly to the Clinton groups, creating a perfectly fit musical carpet for the delivery of the rapper, with some pleasant jazzy grain. Del's lyricism is simple, there are socio-conscious cuts and more light-hearted and fun songs, in particular he focuses on girls, he presents positive arguments and many good narratives performed with a relaxed style close to speech.
At only eighteen years old, he decided to distance himself from the West Coast gangsta scene and, managing not to end up in the shabby pop soft rap of PM Dawn, he moved away from the ghetto-centric themes with a technically not perfect, but worthy style: poking the pop corny lame rappers of the era and even some gangsta rappers, he makes one of his best albums, widely praised by specialized critics, an innovative effort for the West Coast scene, because it's one of the first real alternative projects, it looks more towards the artists of the Native Tongues and gives a different direction to the West Coast compared to the thriving and powerful gangsta scene of the period.
Highlights: "Mistadobalina", "The Wacky World of Rapid Transit", "Pissin' on your Steps", "Money for Sex", "Ahonetwo, Ahonetwo", "Dr. Bombay", "Sleepin' on My Couch".
Rating: 8.2/10.
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