Rating:
  Review Date: October 29, 2007
  Website: Little Brother Website
  Label: ABB Records

Little Brother “Getback” Album Review
They say that which doesn’t kill you only makes you stronger. Kanye recently made a song about it in “Graduation.” But the saying applies much better to Little Brother, who has been through some major setbacks in the past couple of years. “The Minstrel Show” didn’t sell well. The group lost their deal with Atlantic Records. And then they parted ways with 9th Wonder. But I guess that’s what makes it all the more curious that “Getback” is the best album Little Brother has ever made.  

Cats are obviously going to disagree with this point. But that’s just my opinion homie – take it for what you want. To me, Pooh and Phonte have given the best lyrical performance of their careers on this album. The emcees have continued to evolve with the addition of a new sound, variety rhyme styles and new topics. And the album benefits from a wide array of producers, with eight beatmakers contributing where previously there was only one. Unlike their previous releases, I like every single song on “Getback,” and haven’t stopped listening to it for a week now.

It was Mos Def who said, “The first cut should be the deepest/ To penetrate beyond the muscle wall’s inner regions.” Pooh and Phonte may have taken this to heart. The opening track, Sirens, gives them each an opportunity to give great analyses of current events in hip-hop. Big Pooh takes on the N-word topic, and drops one of the most notable verses of his career:

They talk about us not using the word ‘nigger’
I wanna speak about a couple issues much bigger
Like most black folks live below the poverty line
And they wonder why the hell we attracted to crime
Got people shooting people at the drop of a dime
Babies in the street die way before their time
Many single-parent mothers packing welfare lines

I agree that there are more than “a couple issues much bigger.” Phonte also uses Sirens to speak his mind, this time on the topic of blaming hip-hop:

They trying to blame this rap shit for all of our ills
Like I can sneak a whup with a mic
Like I can rape you with a verse or use a verb as a knife
Like before Kool Herc everything was alright
Like y’all wasn’t calling black women hoes before Rappers Delight
Shit, that’s just idiot talk
This whole shit is a farce
I refuse to be hip-hop’s pallbearer
Had to tell my son, ‘Cut that bullshit off’
Them ain’t videos man, that’s psychological warfare
Twenty different variations of the same face
Designed to keep your broke ass in the same place

I agree. Everything wasn’t alright before Kook Herc came, yet hip-hop is blamed for problems that existed before hip-hop did. Like that isn’t ridiculous. And maybe the reason radio, MTV and BET play repetitive violent, materialistic hip-hop is because they’re trying to brainwash us into not noticing other things that are going on. Think about it.

From there, “Getback” slowly evolves from conscious rap to feel good music, and demonstrates the group’s positive outlook despite the trials they’ve faced. From track to track, “Getback” is exceptional, and is just one of those CDs you can put in your deck and let ride. It is undoubtedly one of the best hip-hop albums of the year and the greatest accomplishment yet for Little Brother. I highly recommend picking up a copy. Peace.

Related:
If you liked this album, you might like other hip-hop groups as opposed to single artists. Check out Jedi Mind Tricks “Servents in Heaven, Kings in Hell”, The Roots “Game Theory”, Soul Position “Things Go Better with RJ and Al”, and 7L and Esoteric “A New Dope”.

Album Track Listing:

1. Sirens
2. Can’t Win For Losing
3. Breakin’ My Heart
4. Good Clothes
5. After The Party
6. Extra Hard
7. Step It Up
8. Two-Step Blues
9. That Ain’t Love
10. Dreams
11. When Everything Is New