- Critic score
- Publication
- By date
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MojoIf it has a fault, it is that its relentlessly innovative music can overshadow often superlative lyrics. [Apr 2005, p.102]
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Q MagazineHe may not have Mos [Def's] lyrical depth, but his vocal style is assured and refreshingly direct. [Apr 2005, p.121]
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"Beauty and the Beat" is a rare, valuable record that channels two markedly different types of music into a new one, a collage of sounds that hasn't been heard in a very long time.
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Edan has lowered his tone, beefed up his content, mastered an independent, creative production style and crafted a concise album that makes a strong stab for early album of the year bids.
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He's made a cosmic artistic leap and fused together decades, styles, genres, and races with his remarkable sophomore effort, Beauty And The Beat.
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UrbWith an awe-inspiring imagination in tow, Edan drops his own distinct magical mystery tour. [Apr 2005, p.101]
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It's sucker punch after sucker punch of syllable-swapping fun.
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His rhymes are intelligent and image-packed, his drums are classic, and his inspired sample choices come together to make a striking aesthetic statement.
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New Musical Express (NME)It's like 'Pet Sounds' born and raised in the Bronx. [26 Mar 2005, p.51]
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Beauty and the Beat sounds like a record made by someone who once devoured the catalog and history of his favorite artists, traced their lineage as far back as he could, and has discovered his place in the genealogy. With that enlightenment, Edan is no longer an impersonation of his idols, but one of their peers.
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What really puts the album over the top is the way Edan manages to twist the DNA of two distinctly throwback styles, '60s psych-rock and '80s golden-age hip-hop, into a 2005 mutant plaid platypus.
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The overall feel is of an academic exercise in hip-hop cultural anthropology.
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There is little doubt Edan is an innovator on the production tip, but he’s not nearly as talented an emcee.
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UncutEdan's punch and broad vision distinguish him from the rest of the pack. [Jun 2005, p.110]
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If hip-hop had existed in the days of the Filmore, Woodstock and the Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test, Edan would have been right on the bus.
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The first three-quarters of Beauty and the Beat stands as something to be admired.
Awards & Rankings
User score distribution:
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Positive: 32 out of 36
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Mixed: 1 out of 36
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Negative: 3 out of 36
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danielsJan 23, 2007This is some hot stuff. Beauty is one of the best beats. Ever.
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isisisgoodFeb 16, 2006
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KimoFeb 5, 2006