Fugees (Tranzlator Crew) - Blunted on Reality

Import only double-disc set features their albums, Blunted on Reality and The Score. The latter of which features additional bonus tracks over the US pressing. Sony. Album Description

 Not the Fugees you now know, but still alright. (3.5)
When you listen to this album, it's just so hard to believe this is the same group who gave us The Score. That record was brilliant and is still one of my top five hip-hop albums that I own. Where that one had them showing a bigger range of songs and had social commentary-style lyrics, this is them making a totally different record, like it's another group maybe. Almost everything here is strictly hip-hop influenced, and of the early-'90's variety.

I would argue that this is not really that classic though, unlike aforementioned album. It's just hard to believe that this group is trying to pose as thugs here, although they hadn't yet gotten to where they later went, so maybe that's forgiveable. At 18 tracks, there's quite a bit of "interludes," although "Blunted Interlude" works more as a full song than an actual interlude. And it's one of the better tracks on here. There are hints of what to come, but it's not THAT obvious. "Vocab" has some acoustic guitar that we'd later hear from Wyclef, especially solo. "Some Seek Stardom" which is mostly Lauryn Hill, was the closest thing to a taste of what was to come. It's about the only song we get to hear her SING on. That one is one of the few with a message, one about knowing where you come from.

Overall, it's actually good, but just don't expect it to be overall AMAZING like what you had come to know. It's pretty cheap though, and I got mine for a nice used price. It's worth hearing at least a few times; just don't expect it to be quite as varied and groundbreaking. April 6, 2007

 bLunTeD oN rEaLITy
Wyclef, Pras, & Lauren delivered my favorite record from the camp to date! This was them at their rawest & grimiest. They always came through with solid records but Blunted On Reality stands out because they're hungry. Really hungry... You can hear it on every track! For all that enjoy Artifacts, Lords of the Underground, Onyx, Hoodratz, etc. cop this today. peace! December 16, 2006

 Another Phat Album From '94 {4 Stars}
Most know my position on hip hop releases from 1994. No need to write that paragraph. The Fugees dropped Blunted On Reality to almost no fanfare. Joints like "Boof Baf" and "Vocab [Remix]" were dope enough for most underground heads, but MTV, BET, and radio wouldn't catch on until they dropped the classic "Nappy Heads" remix. Those looking for the same sound from The Score will be in for a bit of a disappointment. Lauryn doesn't sing on this album. As a matter of fact, her and Wyclef rhyme with a passion that you'll probably never hear from them again. Man, to hear dope emcees when they're truly hungry is such a privledge in my mind. Anyway, there are plenty of dope cuts on this LP. Along with the joints I already mentioned, there are dope cuts like "Some Seek Stardom", "Temple", and the regular version of "Nappy Heads". Amazon lists 18 tracks, but 6 of them are interludes. The production is mostly handled by Wyclef, Pras, Salaam Remi, Khalis Bayyan, Rashad Muhammad, and Stephen Walker. The sound varies from acoustic to boom bap to mellow -- it's pretty versatile.

As far as flaws, there is only one that really stands out to me: Pras. Dude was never all that nice behind the mic ("if you saw me chillin' in my hood, would you say I'm hoodin"....come on), but Clef and Lauryn do a good job of taking most of the spotlight, so you never really notice him. Also, the version of "Vocab" on this album, though dope, doesn't really hold a candle to the remix (it's an acoustic version while the remix is more boom bap). Not only that, it's over five minutes long. The rest of the album is pretty good in my opinion.

Blunted On Reality is definitely dope on all fronts. It came out in '94 (when the standard for what was considered dope was REALLY, REALLY high), so you know that it's 4 star material at the very least. It's got a harder more underground edge than The Score does, but I'd have to say that The Score is still the better album. That doesn't take anything away from this LP though. It's still dope and worth checking out. I recommend adding this album to your collection.

Standout Tracks: Nappy Heads, Boof Baf, How Hard Is It?, Some Seek Stardom, Nappy Heads [Remix] (My Favorite), Blunted Interlude, Refugees On The Mic, Temple, Vocab, and Living Like There Ain't No Tomorrow July 5, 2006

 Not at all like "The Score"
If your only experience listening to The Fugees was their seminal "Score" album, with the single "Killing Me Softly," or hearing Hill's "Miseducation" album, you will be completely surprised by this album.

It's raw. There are no soft sides here, it's all hard edges. No one sings. Lauryn rips the mic hard. The rhyming is all just a bit old-school, a little more Haitian than their more recent effort, and the whole thing has a little bit more of an angry vibe than "The Score."

This is the score before it was settled. It's a neat album... definitely worth a listen by folks into the Fugees, and raw enough to appeal to both conscious fans and more hardcore hiphop heads, as long as your ears are open to the worldbeat type rhythms. Sort of like "Fugee-lah", except angrier and for a whole album.

In particular, some brilliant rhymes about religion grace this album. March 26, 2006

 Theres a big difference...
...between the solo albums that Lauryn, Pras, and Wyclef have released. CD is way different from anything else that each person has released, especially if anyone gotten into this group from their sophomore album "The Score". I didn't expect much from this trio, but when I heard "Blunted On Reality" I was suprised.

Maybe people don't like this Cd, because theres no singing or no R&B stuff that they've done recently. Pras and Wyclef shows their skills on their debut album and even Lauryn Hill rips the mic on this CD, which really suprised me, because I've never heard her rhyme like that before and she doesn't sing at all. No one does. So don't expect any "Killing Me Softly" or "No Woman, No Cry" here on this album. Expect of at lot of the "Fugee-la" type of style on this here. This is pure 90's hip hop right here and an album that should not have been slept on in '94.

For all those who want the R&B Fugees, I recommend "The Score", but if you are looking for Lauryn, Praz, and Wyclef to show their skills in the hip hop scene, I highly recomend this album, because it's worth the money and to add into your music library. December 19, 2005

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