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First of a Living Breed
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First of a Living Breed Image
Metascore
77

Generally favorable reviews - based on 8 Critic Reviews What's this?

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  • Summary: The third full-length release for the new York rapper was producer by Jonwayne and is his first on the Stones Throw label.
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Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 7 out of 8
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 8
  3. Negative: 0 out of 8
  1. Expert Witness (MSN Music)
    Nov 9, 2012
    91
    Between speed of delivery and brevity of line, Sandman's nonstop tunefulness here tends jingly no matter how gritty his flow.
  2. Okayplayer
    Oct 11, 2012
    90
    His inexhaustible penmanship coaxes listeners to further sink their ears to the album's abyss, a pull that's hard to defy.
  3. AllMusic
    Oct 25, 2012
    80
    It's an amazing, cool, and filling mix, and with Homeboy himself being that right mix of persuasive and challenging, First of a Living Breed is an easy recommendation for any lyric-loving hip-hop head.
  4. HipHopDX
    Oct 25, 2012
    80
    First Of A Living Breed is another powerful entry into the Good Sun's discography.
  5. Mojo
    Dec 17, 2012
    80
    The law school drop-pout is at his analytical best here. [Jan 2013, p.93]
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  6. Pitchfork
    Oct 8, 2012
    71
    The brilliant writing on First of a Living Breed ... would position the album as a candidate for one of the year's best rap records if it weren't for those drawback tracks ["For the Kids", "Cedar and Sedgwick"].
  7. PopMatters
    Oct 19, 2012
    40
    First of a Living Breed is an example of an artist failing to balance the best and worst of himself, letting both halves wander freely through a 46 minute album that goes nowhere, existing simply because the potential for a tenable LP has been exhibited in the past. That exhibition is rarely visible this time around, sadly.

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Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 1 out of 1
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 1
  3. Negative: 0 out of 1
  1. MCRR
    Apr 21, 2015
    8
    F-R-E-S-H. Laid back and uplifting, Sandman's astute lyrics are a pleasure aiming well off the beaten path of rap megalomania which appears toF-R-E-S-H. Laid back and uplifting, Sandman's astute lyrics are a pleasure aiming well off the beaten path of rap megalomania which appears to abound these days. A refrained sound that provides a lot of thump. 'Not Really' being one of a number of attention grabbing tracks that provoke thought and a little solitude on this excellent album.… Expand