I Got Next 1997 Album

KRS-One

This is easily the strangest release from KRS-One - containing more mainstream-style, stripped-down messaging focusing on the culture of hip-hop - after ten straight years of essentially issue-dominated material, whether it was with BDP or as a solo artist. I'm not sure it's a completely satisfying listen, but the attempt was admirable. The big swing for the fences was "Step Into a World (Rapture's Delight)", a head-knockin' party jam which revisited Blondie's "Rapture" for the late 90's club audience…to which many detractors screamed "sellout", but this is a surface concern. If you really want to go further on this tangent then check out the Puff Daddy remix version tacked on at the end. Overall, the record has a jack-of-all-trades sort of feel as it aims to place our protagonist backed by other capable industry vets (Redman, Angie Martinez, DJ Muggs from Cypress Hill, and tons more) over a number of short vignettes trying to display KRS-One's range. Which often isn't the best idea, as his awful foray into rock "Just To Prove a Point"…uh, proves. Still, despite the odd feel a record worth hearing a few times.