Prince Paul - A Prince Among Thieves

The concept album has a long history in rock & roll , with the Who's Tommy being by far the most successful (by virtue of its turns on the big screen and Broadway, respectively). Hip-hop has had a few interesting (Kool Keith's Sex Style) and not-so-interesting (RZA's Bobby Digital in Stereo) goes at the form, but not until Prince Paul's A Prince Among Thieves has the genre had a true epic of its own to claim. The album, a cynical story of two friends that turn into rivals over a record deal, is solid on every level, with a full story, great music, and a strong cast. The disc is populated by a bevy of characters, many played by solid veterans--Chris Rock and De La Soul as junkies, Everlast as a crooked cop, Biz Markie and Special Ed as enforcers for Chubb Rock's gangsta don, and Big Daddy Kane as a pimp--but features a pair of talented newcomers (Sha and Breeze) as the leads. Sha and Breeze are dynamic, and they show up some of the bigger stars here--though only a couple of the characters disappoint (most surprising of which is Kool Keith's Crazy Lou). Ultimately, it's a hell of a record, with Breeze, Chubb Rock, Big Daddy Kane, Heroine, De La Soul, Xzibit, Brand Nubian's Sadat X, and Kid Creole taking best advantage of the killer tracks Paul serves up for them. --Randy Silver Amazon.com

Awesome Album!

This album is Hip-Hop at the top. It has concept and meaning. IT is not just a album of nothing. It is like getting a movie plus ill rhymes all in one package. For the listeners out there this is the way to go. August 8, 2008

The work of a genius

Prince Paul is perhaps the most underappreciated genius of hip hop. He's the creative mind behind such conceptual gems as 3 Feet High and Rising and 6 Feet Deep, yet rarely gets the respect he deserves. "A Prince Among Thieves" is another of his conceptual greats, a concept album from 1999. Three hip hop albums in my mind have really pushed the limits of the regular rap LP by following one story line to which each track and skit contributes, with guest rappers playing characters. These are "A Prince Among Thieves," Sticky Fingaz' (Blacktrash) The Autobiography of Kirk Jones, and Masta Ace's A Long Hot Summer (as well as its predecessor Disposable Arts). One thing that's kind of amazing about these albums is how similar they are. Each follows the plotline of an honest urban black man who is drawn into crime by a friend and meets a tragic end. But what's also remarkable is how high in quality they each are; these three albums are each incredible to behold in their own right.

You can't listen to this like a regular hip hop album. Single songs wouldn't make sense on their own, they need to be appreciated in the context of the story. Breeze does a good job playing the protagonist and aspiring rapper Tariq, and he makes you want to root for him. But the rapper who stands out to me with a great performance is Sha, who plays his best friend and eventual nemesis True. Over 35 generally short tracks, the listener is treated to a few days of Tariq's life as he attempts to put together some money to finish his demo before his audition with the RZA. He meets his share of characters and problems along the way, eventually leading to his tragic demise. It's fun to hear so many prominent rappers playing minor roles, it gives the album such a convincing and community feel. Standouts include Sadat X and Xzibit as stingy inmates on "Handle Your Time" and Big Daddy Kane as a sarcastic pimp on "Macula's Theory." Other track highlights include "Steady Slobbin'," which parodies Ice Cube's classic "Steady Mobbin'" from Death Certificate by rapping about his poor lifestyle, the well-executed "Put the Next Man On," the soulful "Mood for Love," and the truly powerful closing title track. But most of all, it's just a joy to follow the plot from track to skit, and the whole album is done really well.

Musically, "A Prince Among Thieves" doesn't showcase the mind-blowing production that we all know Prince Paul is capable of. The beats are simple and understated, never stealing the spotlight from the plot. This is clever, because it gives it so much of a cinematic element. "A Prince Among Thieves" doesn't get old after hearing it too many times either. It's ingenious in that the more you listen to it, you'll begin to notice subtle lyrical nuances that allude to later occurrences in the plot. Prince Paul's genius and the rappers' performance exude a true chemistry in these instances. As you become more acquainted with Tariq and his situation, you'll really begin to feel emotions with him and it becomes a fairly emotional listening experience. There are a few subtle moments where the concept reaches pure perfection, a few examples are the chatty conversation at the beginning of "The Demo" and the shocking plot twist when Tariq finds he's been betrayed.

I only have a few complaints, most dealing with some performances. Kool Keith's cameo as a weapon salesman comes off as uninspired as he just rattles off a list of made-up guns, and Chris Rock's crackhead role is cliched, mostly just there for star power. A few of the tracks feel unnecessary to the plot, and in some instances you'll get the feeling that the plot shifts just in order to accomodate a song. Overall though, these flaws don't take away too much to make the album really unenjoyable at any point.

Like (Blacktrash) The Autobiography of Kirk Jones and A Long Hot Summer, "A Prince Among Thieves" is an enormously entertaining piece of hip hop work that entertains in a way very few albums ever have. I don't like this album quite as much as the aforementioned two, but it's just such a fun and well-produced creative work that I would consider it essential listening. I highly recommend "A Prince Among Thieves" to the hip hop fan. September 9, 2007

One Of The Most Entertaining Albums That I've Heard (Rating: 9 out of 10- -4.5 stars)

Prince Paul has always been a favorite producer of mine. He has produced such albums as 3 Feet High and Rising as well as 6 Feet Deep. If you're familar with those two albums, you can expect something similar to that on this album "A Price Among Thieves". What I appreciate about this album is that it runs along a storyline of written events, sort of like a movie on a CD. Where there are two main characters (played by Big Sha and Breeze) who are friends and one of them is trying to get a record deal, and goes through some problems along the way. I really don't want to give away the whole story in my review, but the album has a twisted ending, and it kind of makes you wonder in your mind "What did I learn from this album?" Trust me people, the lesson is there.

Now that being said, the music on the album itself is nice. All of the tracks are produced by Prince Paul. And everyone who is on this album is apart of the story. Appearances from De La Soul ("More Than You Know"), Everlast ("The Men In Blue"), Big Daddy Kane ("Macula's Theory"), as well as Breeze and Sha drop nice rhymes over Prince Paul's production. There are even some funny parts, such as Chris Rock playing the role of a crack head.

If any inconsitant part on this album, I would blame the some of the artists. Kool Keith plays the part of a weapon store owner on "Weapon World" and he comes off as a dissapointmet in his song. And I agree with another reviewer who says "Mood For Love" by Newkirk is a little too long (a real slow song clocking in over 3 minutes).

Overall, this album is phenominal. The only album I heard with a storyline concept was Organized Konfusion's The Equinox, and no too many album have this kind of concept. So that alone is real origonal. As for Prince Paul, his production is great. I personally rank him along side of producers such as DJ Premier and Pete Rock as one of the best in hip hop. Trust me, even your favorite album doesn't have a concept like this that will keep you wondering what is going to happen next. This is one I recommend you give a listen, and even at this price, you cannot go wrong. Peace!

Lyrics: N/A (Prince Paul doesn't rhyme on this album)
Production: A+
Guest Appearances: A-
Musical Vibes: A-
Overall: A

To 5 Favorite Tracks:
1. Steady Slobbin (a funny remake of Cube's "Steady Mobbin'")
2. A Prince Among Thieves
3. War Party
4. The Other Line
5. Put The Next Man On

Honorable Mention Track: What You Got (The Demo)
April 9, 2007

Conceptual Masterpiece

After a few weeks now, I still got this on some major "encore" rotation.

From start to finish, a nearly 77 min. movie clip through spoken word only. Vivid depictions of the hustlin', gangbangin', and studio habits from a "poet" who rhymes over some cool vibe beats.

Great production. Great "film." Great concept. If you haven't, buy it now already. Trust me, you will get more than you money's worth.
November 17, 2006

Phenomenal Album

I was introduced to this album by my friends father in minnesota, and he listens to country. Whether you like rap or not, this story will abduct you and bring you into its world within the first 25 seconds of the first song. the way the beat cuts in is perfect and the opening lyrics are phenomenal. Character descritpion and story is all in music and every interlude is a short tie-in for every melodical chapter. when a DVD just won't do it, and the same old CDs don't cut it, this compilation of artists comes to the rescue. August 26, 2005

More reviews at Amazon.com ...