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Deltron 3030 Deltron 3030 Released in 2000 9.6/10 Styles Rap Hip Hop Science Fiction Concept Song Highlights 3030 Virus Battlesong |
Deltron 3030 is something of a hip hop supergroup, and one with a concept at that. With the very capable Kid Koala on turntables, the brilliant Del Tha Funkee Homosapien on vocals and Dan the Automator, arguably one of the world's most accomplished producers, handling the samples and editing, this is an album that looks very promising. Del has always been the black sheep of the rap scene, prefering oddball humour and absurdity over the gangsta rap of his peers (suprising, for someone with Ice Cube as a cousin). Album after album, he could never really say anything relevant about the world, because it seemed as though he didn't even live in it, always prefering to sing about the strangest subject matter that could enter his head. With Deltron 3030, it finally seems as though Del has found his place in the scheme of things, with it's futuristic setting allowing his immagination to roam free, and to speculate on any non-existant matter it wishes. The fact that he's a big science geek only increases the potential of such a premise. This gives way to some great, truly immaginative lyrics, on topics both obvious (the increasing part played by computers, interplanetary travel), and a little more off-kilter (intergalactic rap battles and all manner of general futuristic weirdness). With a concept so easy to turn into an ongoing story in song, the album unwinds as what many have called a hip-hopera, with the centrepiece of the story being Del's participation in the afore mentioned rap battles. This competetive theme even allows him to indulge in every rapper's favourite topic - how much better he is than you or anyone else in the universe - without it sounding altogether unjustified. Del's vocals are accompanied nicely by Kid Koala's turntable work, but the big highlight is the first rate production of Dan the Automater. The album is bursting with character, full of samples, effects and interludes (both musical and dialogue driven). The production was so good, it even warranted a separate release of an instrumental version of the album (entitled Tron "3030: The Instrumentals"). This is quite possibly the most breathtakingly original hip hop album to be released in decades, and definately a solid contender for the best album of 2000. Even if you don't like hip hop, this is an album everyone should hear. |