REVIEW: Large Professor’s “Professor @ Large”
From now until the end of the world (five more months), there will always be the debate of what makes up “real hip-hop”. Forget that. The new album by Large Professor is just “that damn good hip-hop”. Professor @ Large (Fat Beats), to me at least, represents quality hip-hop as I like to hear it. Some will say “as it should be done”, but the music has always been diverse, moving in as many direction as it wants without anyone knowing. However, if you have admired Large Professor’s lyrics, rapping, and production style, this will definitely be of interest to you as it feels like this vibe has never stopped being an inspiration. Of an era, forever, never an error.
While the album does have a wide range of special guests, forget that. What I like about this is that Large Professor doesn’t write in one style. He doesn’t rhyme one way. He gets into his own grooves and shows the listener how to decorate the surroundings, because you’re in his home, where he is at his most comfortable. What you’ll hear are samples that aren’t afraid to make itself known, pulled from a wide range of semi-unknown sources. It’s music of a thrill seeker and a risk-taker, back when that was in abundance. There’s a wealth of rock samples in this, and the sample heads will go “oh damn, he made that song rock even harder than it originally was” or “holy crap, what in the hell was that?” Those who do the reserach will find all the source material on their own time, but it’s creating brand new music out of the obscure and forgotten, making it funky and extending its life like the deep music fan he is.
As for those cameos? Busta Rhymes, Cormega, Tragedy Khadafi, Action Bronson, Mic Geronimo, Grand Daddy IU, Roc Marciano… you want more names? Forget it, listen to the album yourself, find album info elsewhere. All of the guests come to Large Professor to honor one of hip-hop’s best, and what I like about Professor @ Large too is that while all of them are there to show and prove, it’s not an ego fest. The verse by Busta Rhymes is arguably one of his best in years. and there will be many who will say “how come Bussa Bus don’t keep on rapping like he did here?”
@ Large is what the Professor is, and as for being in charge? Everyone has a place and time, but then there’s those who create without a sense of time. Timeless? Era-less, never an error, forever.
doiall posted: 09 Jul at 10:56 am
Classic album from Extra P! Great review!!