Mighty Joseph - Empire State
Rating: 
Review Date: March 31, 2008
Website: Mighty Joseph Website
Label: Urchin Studios
Mighty Joseph “Empire State” Album Review
I ain’t gonna lie to you. I bought this album for one reason – and one reason only: Vast Aire. I could listen to Vast rap all day long if I had to. Kid is that dope. He has a ridiculously innovative flow; a unique microphone attitude; and a wordy rhyme style unparalleled in hip-hop today – or ever, for that matter.
Vast’s metaphoric proverbs alone will give you a reason to buy his spectacular collaboration with Karniege, titled Mighty Joseph’s “Empire State.” If you don’t know what I’m talking about, here are some great examples of the tight one-liners Vast dropped in the album:
Tommy Hill’s no friend of mine/ Don’t put nobody’s name on my behind/
And that’s my word/ Your dudes will get crushed like that’s my erb/
Watch me drop him next/ I’ll put your face on the curb like American X/And fuck Al Quaeda/
‘Cause I coulda died getting a candy bar from a bodega/I’m so beyond gats/
I’ll stab you with an icicle – tell CSI to find that/Vast’s flow can turn men to mice/
If Reality’s a whore, then I’m fucking her twice/
And on the third time, she’ll be screaming my name/
And her best friend Truth will tell you the same/Welcome to New York City/
Where we watch girl fights and wait for the titty/
‘Don’t put nobody’s name on my behind’? ‘If Reality’s a whore, then I’m fucking her twice’? That’s some funny and creative rhyming, no doubt. And in “Empire State,” you get it on virtually every track.
However, despite Vast Aire’s huge contribution, it was Karniege who really surprised me – both in terms of lyrics and beats – throughout the course of this album. Compared to Vast, Karniege contributes a more straightforward rhyme approach, often sounding a lot like Blueprint to me.
And that is why it is Karniege’s participation that allows you to get the most out of “Empire State,” an album that creates a brilliant back-and-forth between two talented yet completely different emcees. Karniege provides the balance needed to allow the music to flow so well together. A great example can be found in the track Kids [N.Y.C.], in which Karniege drops the following verse about growing up poor and fatherless in New York City:
How many of y’all have the past I’ve had?/
You and your moms, but no dad/
Seems like a normal thing – ain’t that sad?/
If you feel what I’m saying people raise your hand/
Roaches reside but pay no rent/
Crawl through your food soon as they get the scent/
Julio caught running his ear, that was weird/
Back of mind thinking, ‘When we gonna get outta here?’/
Mommy got bills and son plus self to feed/
How long can we last on welfare cheese?/
No hot water running? Boil it/
Uncle George busy drunk couldn’t make the toilet/
The combination of Vast Aire’s over-your-head and Karniege’s in-your-face rhyme styles make Mighty Joseph’s “Empire State” a great listen – especially for those of you looking for something different, lyrically challenging and head nodding all at the same time. If that describes you, “Empire State” by Mighty Joseph could be the perfect album for you. I highly recommend picking up a copy. Peace.
Album Track Listing:
- The Uprising
- Beast feat. Poison Pen
- Out The Gate feat. Genesis
- Kidz (N.Y.C.)
- Blurr
- Anything Can Happen
- Legend
- Blood Sport feat. Vordul Mega
- The Dark Ages feat. Murs
- Criminal Tales
- Pandora’s Box feat. Double AB, Access Immortal & Swave Sevah
- Night Life
- General Stripes
- Rock-It-Science
Fisch wrote:
Long live Vast!!!
In agreement with this review, I too can listen to an endless stream from him.
And the review is also right on about Karniege - what a surprise. Gotta admit that I was sleeping on that.
I should say that I personally worship Can Ox’s Cold Vein (maybe the best hip hop album EVER - no joke) and I try to push anybody that hasn’t heard it towards it. The one thing I hear back time and time and time again is that Vast is dope, but the beats are just to abstract to handle.
Personally, I think El-P’s production on that is sick and may just be a little ahead of its time. But my point is, this Mighty Jo album is for those people. Dope beats on this new one - no doubt, but much more “traditional” in comparison to El-P.
I see HHL with the 4.5 on this one - I was wondering if it was going to catch the full 5.
If you don’t know Vast - get this. If you love Vast - get this. If you only know Vast with El-P and are not completely on board yet - get this. Peace.
Posted on 31-Mar-08 at 2:48 pm | Permalink
Marc wrote:
“a wordy rhyme style unparalleled in hip-hop today – or ever, for that matter.”
bro… gotta disagree with you on Vast Aire. I don’t rate him at all. His rhymes are filled with non-sense alot of the time if u really break it down. His flow is lazy and basic at best, hardly innovative when u throw in random words cos it sounds good and rhymes.. He is a one-line rapper and always will be. Compare him to someone like Elzhi and his flow and concepts looks pre-school.
Posted on 04-Apr-08 at 7:45 am | Permalink
Fisch wrote:
Marc - I hear ya on Elzhi - I’m a big fan myself.
But as to the so-called “non-sense” and “random words” from Vast, I once had a similar perspective. But then I started putting some things together.
After listening to Cold Vein about a billion times, I found that a lot of those “non-sense” lines (in)directly relate to other parts of the album. “Random words” from one part of the album help to explain other cloudy parts of the album.
I think it is truely genius. If you listen to one track alone, certainly there will be some lines that don’t make sense. But to see an artist put together lyrics from an entire album perspective is rare and impressive.
That all being said, I gotta admit there are a ton of Vast lines that I still don’t get… and just might be nonsense afterall. But I still wonder if I just haven’t figured them out yet. Could he be connecting lyrics from multiple albums?? Or just throwing some BS in there along with some incredibly creative, yet apparently nonsense lyrics?? Hmm.
As for his delivery, I have always felt that is just personal preference, so I can respect where you are coming from.
Can’t speak for everything on this Mighty Jo just yet, but if you give Cold Vein another listen in its entirety, you might see what I’m saying. Peace.
Posted on 04-Apr-08 at 6:38 pm | Permalink
Marc wrote:
Respect your thoughts there man.
Cold Vein was amazing… don’t get me wrong but El-p’s beats helped the rhymes a great deal. Vast ain’t the worst mc around, but i just don’t feel it for him. Sometimes i feel he get’s alot of extra love cos he’s doin the underground thing which is cool, but there are alot of other high profiled, so-called ‘commercial mc’s that easily out rhyme him in all aspects.
i feel the commercial / underground rapper debate is too played out cos rhyming skill is rhyming skill no matter what beat you riding to.. and i feel Vast gets credit where sometimes it ain’t due… hope you getting me here
That being said i will surely give Mighty Jo & Cold Vein a good listen to see if i can pick out any of those linked rhymes schemes you mentioned.
Cheers man…
Posted on 05-Apr-08 at 6:03 am | Permalink
The Relic wrote:
I’m so beyond gats/
I’ll stab you with an icicle – tell CSI to find that/
GZA in Afu-Ra’s album did this.
“…stab you with ice and watch the evidence melt/
immediately the blow is felt/
I might look like a hater coz i start wit the negative but this is just what came to my mind immediately i read the line
I’m a big fan of cannibal ox- cold vein is a classic no doubt- plus pick vast aire’s line in wu meets indie culture “…I’m pointing at the sky but you’re lookin at my finger..” VA is a trophy in my memory.
All said, that line on top ain’t ORIGINAL.
I’ll have to get the mighty Joseph album, not to search for ‘nibbles’ but to experience vast one more time
Peace
Posted on 06-Apr-08 at 11:28 pm | Permalink
Robert! wrote:
I’ll make sure to check this one out.
Posted on 08-Apr-08 at 2:08 pm | Permalink