Country: U.S.A.
Genre: Hip-Hop
Style: Pop Rap
Label Number: 9 26622-2
© 1991 Qwest/Warner Bros. Records
With a style that's somewhere between Young MC and Candyman, Rappinstine was the type of rap act that appealed to those who liked their hip-hop drenched in R&B. The Ultimate Creation, a commercial outing that unites lighthearted rapping with R&B and funk melodies, obviously wasn't recorded with hip-hop's hardcore in mind. Hip-hop purists tend to take a dim view of rap that appeals to R&B and pop fans, and tunes as overtly commercial as "Mary Jane" (which is based on Rick James' 1978 hit) and "Funk You Up" stood little chance of winning those purists over. But that doesn't mean that this CD is without artistic merit -- in fact, The Ultimate Creation is a generally decent, though not remarkable, party album. Rappinstine doesn't do a lot of sociopolitical material -- its subject matter is usually lighthearted and escapist -- but the group has a noteworthy message song in "The Good Life." Based on T.S. Monk's Chic-influenced 1981 hit, "The Good Life" describes an inner-city youth's desire to get ahead despite the obstacles he faces. Some of the material is routine, but when Rappinstine finds the right groove, The Ultimate Creation can be fun and catchy.
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tags: rappinstine, the ultimate creation, 1991, flac,
