Album Reviews : ** 1/2 Various artists, “Pump Ya Fist: Hip Hop Inspired by the Black Panthers,” Avatar. ** Various artists, “Panther” soundtrack, Mercury.
The music inspired by the real Black Panthers is far stronger stuff than the music created for the movie “Panther.” On “Pump Ya Fist,” KRS-One, Kam and Grand Puba contribute provocative raps. Unlike most compilations, there isn’t one throwaway track on this one, which also includes energetic contributions from the Fugeezand Chuck D.
The “Panther” soundtrack, though, is mostly fluff. Joe’s remake of “Express Yourself” and Tony Toni Tone’s version of “Stand” are equally hopeless. “Freedom,” which includes the vocals of just about every contemporary female R&B; and rap performer, takes a “We Are the World” approach to the subject of racism. Putting the project in the hands of Dallas Austin--a talented writer-producer with excellent pop sensibilities but no real depth--was a mistake.
New albums are rated on a scale of one star (poor), two stars (fair), three stars (good) and four stars (excellent).
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