DJ Muggs vs. Sick Jacken - The Mask & The Assassin

[SickSide]

1. The Initiation
2. Mask And The Assassin
3. Ciclon
4. Land Of Shadows
5. God's Banker
6. Reptilian Renaissance
7. Praying Mantis
8. El Barrio
9. ?
10. Unorthodox Blocks
11. The Hole (P.O.W.)
12. Stairs To The Beast
13. Black Ships Listen
14. Rebel Angels
15. Silent Crimes
16. 2012


just got this the other day, shits fire

discuss

[Kong]

I'm not sure on it, I find it hard to just chill and listen to it with all he is saying. Its a bit depressing.

[Marc051]

Very solid album. I think Muggs gave him better beats than GZA. There's maybe 2 or 3 tracks that I don't care for the beats that much but it's definitely a contender for album of year.

[famenchuan]

Just brought this yesterday.
Love the beats.

[Maxxx Millisecondz]

I find it hard to just chill and listen to it with all he is saying.

it's not that kind of album, bro.

as i said in another post about this album, i liked it better than Grandmasters. it's hard for me to say anything is better than what GZA drops, cuz he's one of my favorite MCs of all time.

[Slippy The Pimp]

it's not that kind of album, bro.

as i said in another post about this album, i liked it better than Grandmasters. it's hard for me to say anything is better than what GZA drops, cuz he's one of my favorite MCs of all time.

I agree.


Don't sleep on the very firt first track, The Initiation.

[RynMur]

I never even heard of Jacken until I saw people dressed in gas masks adversting this album at Rock the Bells. The only interest I had in it was b/c of Muggs. But damn, what a combination of production and lyrics. Loving the dark theme and I can't say there was one skip track on the entire album.

Top 5 Tracks: Mask & The Assassin, Praying Mantis, The Hole (POW), Rebel Angel (yea the instrumental), 2012

Overall Grade: A+ (4.7/5)

[LORD ZERO]

Silent Crimes = One Of The Illest Tracks On Da Album

[SilvaFistz]

love this album the whole concept of it and how the soundbites tie everything together.

[DR. NICK RIVIERA]

unorthodox blocks is Muggs showing how to use guitars and still be pretty hip-hop

[Sleep Sinatra]

land of shadows is the deepest joint out fureal...

[claaa7]

let me tell y'all that i wasn't ready for this album when it first dropped. i downloaded it, throw it on the mp3-player and gave it maybe a full spin and then re-played a few tracks. the only track i really LOVED from jump was "Land Of Shadows" and some of the beats were fire but the whole shit was so dark and i didn't understand what joints like "God's Banker", "Reptilian Renaissance", "2012" was about and i didn't like the joints with Spanish vocals since i didn't understand the lyrics.

jump to 2010 - i ordered this album at the same time as i picked up "Kill Devil Hills" and oh my fucking god, this shit blew my mind. this might very well be the best album in the DJ Muggs vs. series so far. the sound is extremely grimey, real raw and hardcore but at the same time there's plenty of live instrumentation on this joint which proves DJ Muggs really evolved as a producer. just like RZA did with all the early solos or DJ Premier did with the Gang Starr + Foundation album he catered a different style for every MC he's working with and the epic darkness that surrounds the tracks found on "The Mask & The Assassin" is the perfect compliment to Sick Jacken and Cynic's lyrical themes.

the album just flows together perfectly, with the banging "Initiation" and "Mask & Assassin" opening up with a smash the winning streak continues all over the LP. i can't believe i didn't hear it like this back in 2007 when it dropped, but i evolved a lot as a spiritual person with knowledge of myself and done a lot of research in the department of what these guys are trying to open peoples minds up to. i love how hip-hop music is used as a vessel to reach and waken up peeps that might still have been sleeping hard if it wasn't for the great message put on wax by people like Jacken, Cynic, Ill Bill, Hell Razah, etc. now i ain't saying i am swallowing everything these guys says, just like with everything else you'll listen and pick out the things that connects with you and sounds reasonable with you... but that's another discussion.

much props to Muggs, Jacken and Cynic for delivering such an incredible album.

4.5/5