Beauty And The Beat
by Edan
  • Record Label: Lewis
  • Release Date: Mar 29, 2005
User Score
8.7

Universal acclaim- based on 36 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 32 out of 36
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 36
  3. Negative: 3 out of 36

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  1. daniels
    Jan 23, 2007
    10
    This is some hot stuff. Beauty is one of the best beats. Ever.
  2. GAxe
    Jul 2, 2005
    10
    This is a truly good hip-hop album, largely due to Edan's ability to soak up his broad scope of influences and spill them out again in kaleidoscope patterns. I really love an album that shows up mainstream rappers as the derivative hacks they are.
  3. loniS
    Apr 9, 2005
    8
    not as good as primitive plus, i think. less surprising, but still worth buying!! zeker weten!!
  4. LumpyGravy
    Jun 9, 2005
    10
    Fantastic! Only complaint...it's over too soon. Makes me want to make some drum loops and lay down some fat tracks of my own. Inspiring.
  5. leonp
    Apr 11, 2005
    9
    This album blows my mind. Being too short is my only complaint...especially since we waited so long for the second Edan album to drop.
  6. GabeD
    Apr 8, 2005
    10
    This album is incredible. Blew me away from first listen, and the more lyrics I pick up on, the better it gets.
  7. JimmyJ
    May 2, 2005
    10
    Spectacular! Beauty and the Beat joins Blazing Arrow, The Unseen and Madvillianany in the pantheon of underground brilliance.
  8. ArniS
    Jun 5, 2005
    9
    Extreemely creative and cool music. One of the best hip hop album in recent years. Still it ranks no. 2 for 2005, second only to Lord Quas.
  9. ElliottM
    Jun 8, 2005
    10
    The best hip-hop/rap album of 2005. I like it more than Lord Quas. It's short, sweet, eclectic, and heartstoppingly brilliant.
  10. jay
    Jan 1, 2006
    10
    best of 2005 for sure, lets hope 2006 brings us more albums like this. best beats of the last 5 years for sure. this album is sick
  11. AndyR
    May 12, 2005
    10
    A very good hip hop album. Comparing Edan to Wu Tang? WTF? I would not call it distressing...maybe confused.
  12. ChrisW
    May 6, 2005
    10
    An amazing tribute to the past hip-hop masters while blazing ahead to tomorrow sounds. sure to be a classic. And i agree with one columnist who called it the hip-hop 'Pet Sounds'. Edan keep it up!
  13. matta
    Jul 5, 2005
    9
    Breathtaking looping and beats. I know that its a lame complaint, but it is really short. Some would say that this is a strength, and I don't necessarily think that it takes away from the album, but I would have liked more. Neverless, amazing and the best rap album of the year so far.
  14. Ben
    Jul 6, 2005
    10
    So f*cking good
  15. Kimo
    Feb 5, 2006
    10
    The album is wholistic and coherent, a psychadellic rap album that somehow can still be classified as traditional while at the same time breaking the boundries of the often stagnant rap formula.
  16. JohnnyT
    Apr 17, 2005
    10
    Stunning album pure and simple. Production-wise, it's probably the best rap album i've heard in 2-3 years. If you look hard enough, you can find lyrical geniuses in the hiphop game, but Edan is a musical genius who happens to make hiphop records, and that is what sets him apart from the crowd.
  17. BernieB
    Apr 18, 2005
    9
    It's distressing to hear someone claim that Edan is merely a Wu-Tang copycat. Nothing could be further from the truth. Edan's superlative production style and sharp, ultra-intelligent flow mark him as a complete original in the often stale world of hip-hop. This is a record for the history books.
  18. EDAN
    Apr 22, 2005
    10
    My 10 rating is actually for Chris F, who has somehow managed to summarize my entire life's work in under 20 words.
  19. stevej
    May 18, 2005
    10
    this record is beyond good, edan has the skills and vision to be a hip hop legend and beauty and beat is the proof. shout out to the haters, im going to eat some dinner.
  20. isisisgood
    Feb 16, 2006
    9
    ooh yah is good. he no rap bout de tings him angered wit. jus de tings dat make de sun shine sparkle. him a sweet child of de warm cosmic winds. ya go get yaself dis nice ting. tell em cleo sent ya na.
  21. peachesandcream
    Dec 21, 2005
    10
    neglect what they say and buy it. edan as a toddler was cute, and he cute rhyme here! psychedelic perfection. izzit?
  22. DopeCope
    Dec 24, 2005
    10
    A refreshing, original, intelligent, and emphatic sophomore effort by Edan. My favorite album of '05.

Awards & Rankings

20
#20 Best Album of 2005

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
85

Universal acclaim - based on 18 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 16 out of 18
  2. Mixed: 2 out of 18
  3. Negative: 0 out of 18
  1. Mojo
    80
    If it has a fault, it is that its relentlessly innovative music can overshadow often superlative lyrics. [Apr 2005, p.102]
  2. Q Magazine
    70
    He may not have Mos [Def's] lyrical depth, but his vocal style is assured and refreshingly direct. [Apr 2005, p.121]
  3. RapReviews.com
    85
    "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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