Underground Rise, Volume 1: Sunrise/Sunset
Tunnel Rats Present... Underground Rise, Volume 1: Sunrise/Sunset | ||||
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Compilation album by Tunnel Rats and Various Artists | ||||
Released | April 25, 2003 | |||
Genre | Christian hip hop, underground hip hop | |||
Length | 68:00 | |||
Label | UpRok | |||
Producer | Dert, Donovan Luke Henry, Jermz, Raphi | |||
Uprok Records chronology | ||||
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Tunnel Rats chronology | ||||
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Tunnel Rats Present... Underground Rise, Volume 1: Sunrise/Sunset is a 2003
Recording
Underground Rise was designed to highlight up-and-coming emcees in the underground and Christian hip hop scenes.[2][3] Both Christian and non-Christian artists contributed to the compilation, and Rapzilla noted that it features around thirty-five rappers.[3][4] Most of the Underground Rise was recorded in a single weekend.[2][4]
Style and lyrics
Thomas Quinlan of
Critical reception
Review scores | |
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Source | Rating |
Cross Rhythms | [2] |
The Phantom Tollbooth | [5] |
RapReviews.com | 7/10[6] |
Rapzilla | [3] |
Andrzej Legierski of Cross Rhythms praised Underground Rise highly, rating the compilation eight out of ten squares.[2] He highlighted the tracks "Intro", "How We Get Down", "Southern Brutality", "Kick Kick", "One Voice", "Remember this Day", and concluded that "'Sunrise/Sunset' is a powerful statement made in what is becoming a very diverse hip-hip scene in the States. Though little time was given to record this album it does not compromise the quality of the production or indeed the songs. A great overall feel that will make this hip-hop project a sure classic!"[2] The Phantom Toolbooth provided two reviews of the album, both positive. Len Nash in an unrated review considered the compilation a phenomenal combination of hip hop artists that evidenced the growing impact of Christian hip hop, and said that "A person can finally find a good lyrical CD with a sound that doesn't disappoint. There is good Christian hip-hop out there."[5] Josh Marihugh gave the album a four out of five, calling Underground Rise "a tight collection of nineteen tracks that combine fresh beats, clever hooks, and outspoken lyrics."[5]
Thomas Quinlan of Exclaim! was highly favorable in his review of Underground Rise, considering it the best Uprok release to date, even better than Deepspace5's The Night We Called it a Day.[4] He felt that the diversity should appeal to a wide variety of audiences, and expressed that the tracks "Doing Life" and "Lost" "are the only low moments on this superb collaborative project".[4]
Tim Lavenz of RapReviews.com scored the album seven out of ten, praising the Underground Rise for drawing attention to "many of today's best known Christian rappers".[6] While he considered the compilation's production well-made, he found that it at times becomes repetitive. Lavenz viewed the album's high points as coming "when the most experienced rappers serve up innovative verses that spread the message."[6] In particular, he highlighted Sekou, manCHILD, Propaganda, and Raphi, writing that "These are the best artists featured on this collection..."[6]
Brenten Gilbert of Rapzilla rated the album three-and-a-half out of four, stating that "the TRz crew creates a platform for up-and-coming heads in the game. With more emcees stepping up than your average compilation CD (somewhere in the neighborhood of thirty-five come through), it's easy to forget that this is a Tunnel Rats release. But once the music begins, the identity shines through."[3] Like RapReview.com's Tim Lavenz, Gilbert found that the production at times grew repetitive, but that there are "enough bangers mixed in to keep you on board."[3] However, he concluded that "when all is said and done, the Tunnel Rats hit their mark and made 'Underground Rise' a project worth copping. A genuine snapshot of where hip hop is at, and a glimpse of where it's heading."[3]
Track listing
Dert | 4:07 | ||
4. | "Southern Brutality" (featuring Dokument, Reconcile, Neogen, Lazarus and Propaganda) | Jermz | 4:38 |
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5. | "Kick Kick" (featuring LMNO, Dax, Knows, Zane, Dezin8ed and Sev Statik) | Dert | 3:56 |
6. | "Devil's Advocate" (featuring Sekou the Misfit) | Dert | 2:28 |
7. | "Concentrated" (Listener, Sev Statik and Dezin8ed) | Dert | 3:44 |
8. | "Lost" (featuring Raphi, Macho, Neogen and Zane) | Donovan Luke Henry | 3:59 |
9. | "Real Money" (Dert and Macho) | Dert | 3:55 |
10. | "The Knack" (featuring Propaganda, Griffin, Drastic and Raphi) | Dert | 3:43 |
11. | "Ladders" (Propaganda, Knows and Raphi) | Raphi | 3:40 |
12. | "Interlude" (Knows and Propaganda) | 1:09 | |
13. | "One Voice" (Tunnel Rats and LA Symphony) | Dert | 4:14 |
14. | "Suffocation" (Dokument, Drastic, Jurny and Raphi) | Dert | 3:33 |
15. | "Mission Pen Possible" (featuring LPG, Mass Reality and Raphi) | Dert | 3:56 |
16. | "Cyphers" (Elsie, Propaganda and Dax) | Jermz | 3:38 |
17. | "Doing Life" (Drastic, Raphi and Elsie) | Dert | 4:01 |
18. | "Remember This Day" (featuring Dax, 2Mex, Neogen, Dert, Reconcile, Professor Who, Dokument, Chosen1, Griffin, Lazarus, Raphi, Drastic, Propaganda and Macho) | Dert | 6:27 |
19. | "Outro" (featuring Jamie) | 1:14 |
References
- Salem Publishing: 7. Archived from the original(PDF) on March 4, 2016. Retrieved May 20, 2014.
- ^ a b c d e Legierski, Andrzej (September 1, 2003). "Various – Tunnel Rats Present Underground Rise Vol 1: Sunrise/Sunset". Cross Rhythms (66). Cross Rhythms. Retrieved May 15, 2014.
- ^ a b c d e f g Gilbert, Brenten (April 10, 2003). "Review – Tunnel Rats 'Underground Rise: Vol. 1 Sunrise/Sunset'". Rapzilla. Philip Rood and Chad Horton. Retrieved May 15, 2014.
- ^ a b c d e Quinlan, Thomas (July 2003). "Tunnel Rats/Various Presents Underground Rise Vol. 1: Sunrise/Sunset". Exclaim!. Ian Danzig. Retrieved May 15, 2014.
- ^ a b c d Marihugh, Josh; Len Nash (June 8 – August 31, 2003). "Tunnel Rats present , Underground Rise Vol. 1 Sunrise/Sunset". The Phantom Tollbooth. Retrieved May 15, 2014.
- ^ a b c d e Lavenz, Tim (June 3, 2003). "various artists :: Tunnel Rats Present – Underground Rise Vol. 1 :: Uprok Records". Retrieved May 15, 2014.
- ^ "Underground Rise – Sunrise Sunset". Sphere of Hip Hop. Retrieved May 15, 2014.
- Apple, Inc.Retrieved May 15, 2014.
Further reading
- "Underground Rise: Top artists feature on latest Uprok project". Cross Rhythms (75). Cross Rhythms. July 1, 2003. Retrieved May 15, 2014.