Grammatical Revolution…

Description

Grammatical Revolution… is the third album by the American hip-hop duo Grits (Stacy Jones and Teron Carter, a.k.a. Grammatical Revolutions in the Spirit), released on Gotee Records ‎in 1999. The album was produced by Incorporated Elements (feat. Ric ‘DJ Form’ Robbins), Mo Henderson, and Teron Carter. Vocals and cuts recorded by Void (a.k.a. Robert Caprio). Mixed by F. Reid Shippen. Programmed by DJ Form, Mo (Maurice Henderson), O-Dawg (Otto Price), and Teron Carter. Scratches (D.j. Cuts) by Form.

Grits’ third record virtually unearths a new genre. Name it what you will, but Grammatical Revolution… is an event. Filled with pop hooks galore, an excellent balance between smooth singing and deft, intelligent rapping, and an inventive musical diversity that never stops, these 17 tracks make up one of the finest releases of 1999.

While midtempo opener «Ima Showem» lands nicely with a keyboard hook akin to a Jamaican steel drum, the following track, «They All Fall Down», is where Grits leaves the pack behind. Anchored by a Spanish guitar and classical piano sample, the group waxes philosophical on the inability to truly understand human foibles and frailty. That’s followed by «Strugglin’» – another acoustic guitar/piano- driven track – that sports at once a super-fine harmonic vocal dissonance on the chorus and a lyrical depth throughout the song that will take more than a few listens to digest.

Grits doesn’t let up a bit. «C2K», featuring bright-throated guest rapper and labelmate Knowdaverbs, dives deeper into the musical grab bag, pulling out harmonica, dobro and even plucked violin string samples. The hooky chorus makes the song’s spiritual implications quite clear: Everyone’s invited to the circle, come on in. That’s followed by «Time is Passing», a gorgeous tune that layers female singers vocalizing about the subject matter in Spanish over Grits members Bonafide and Coffee trading raps. «Supreme Being», which reinvokes strings and then some well-placed timpani drums, combines a midtempo beat that drives a caffeinated, double time rap.

There are 10 more tunes to discuss-like the Shaft-era funk of «Stop Bitin’» and the Busta Rhymish-rapping of Petty D. on «Adam» – but suffice to say for now, Grammatical Revolution… will be a keeper for hip-hop fans, and it’s a great invitation to the circle for those who have yet to believe in the genre. [Dave Urbanski, CCM, May 1999]

> iTunes (https://music.apple.com/us/album/grammatical-revolution/1533125785)

CD tracklist:

01. Lil’ Man Intro – 0:48
02. Ima Showem – 3:55
03. They All Fall Down (feat. Spanish vocals by Gabriela Robbins, piano by Trish Price, and guitar George Cocchini) – 5:22
04. Strugglin’ (feat. Enormous, Jason Eskridge, Knowdaverbs, Mo Henderson, and Lakisha “Sasha” Collins) – 4:37
05. C2K (feat. Knowdaverbs) – 4:30
06. Time Is Passing (feat. Monique Reid and Ntianu Carter) – 4:29
07. Supreme Being (feat. Crowd Hype by Various Party People In The Place To Be) – 3:56
08. Man’s Soul – 4:41
09. Count Bass D [A Reading From] – 1:21
10. Soundcheck – 5:06
11. Stop Bitin’ (feat. Background Hype by Bonafide, Coffee, Knowdaverbs, M-Dub, Mo, and O-Dawg) – 4:11
12. It Takes Love (feat. Lisa Kimmey of Out of Eden) – 5:46
13. Return Of The Antagonist – 4:57
14. I Still Know What You Bit Last Summer – 1:21
15. Millenium – 2:21
16. The End (feat. Out of Eden and Jennifer Knapp on guitar) – 4:16

Note: Simultaneously released on cassette and CD by Gotee Records.

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