Artist: Das Efx Album: Dead Serious

Year: 1992
Duration: 39:11

A Critical Review of the Album: Dead Serious by the Music Artist Das Efx

Music has the power to evoke different kinds of emotions. It can inspire, comfort, motivate, and even make us feel nostalgic. One album that managed to evoke all these emotions is Dead Serious by the music artist Das Efx. Released in 1992, this album was a game-changer in the world of rap music. It introduced a new style of rapping that involved using fast-paced, choppy rhymes and was hugely successful when it first hit the airwaves. In this blog post, we will take a closer look at the history of the music artist, the music genre of the album, the best songs of the album, the most innovative parts, and offer a critical review of the album.

History of the Music Artist:

Das Efx is a rap duo made up of Krazy Drazyz and Skoob. The duo grew up in New York and Virginia respectively and later met while attending college in Virginia. Their musical journey began in the mid-80s when they started performing on various local stages and recorded demos for various labels. They finally scored a record deal with EPMD Production and released their debut album Dead Serious in 1992.

Music Genre of the Album:

The album can be defined as East Coast hip hop style with its signature use of heavy beats, funky samples, and the quintessentially New York style of rap. The album revived the boom-bap hip hop beats of the early ’90s, taking inspiration from Public Enemy and Boogie Down Productions, but with its unique touch of funky samples and stuttering sounds, it manages to keep its musical identity apart from the pack.

Best Songs of the Album:

The album is filled with hits after hits, and some of the best songs from Dead Serious are They What and Looseys. Both of them have the peppery rhymes and “funky” flows that get one up and groovin' by the breakdown. The other hit from the album is “Mic Checka,” with its hard-hitting beats and infectious hooks, it is often counted as one of the most innovative hip hop tunes of the 1990s.

Most Innovative Parts of the Album:

The most innovative part of the album is its use of fast-paced, choppy rhymes. This style of rapping was unheard of before Dead Serious, and it was a game-changer in the world of rap music. The duo's flow has a unique brand of high-pitched, speedy rapping and staccato delivery style, making it ‘witty, funny and intriguing' as the audience tries to decipher the lyrics. With their unique catchy flow and creative wordplay, Dead Serious is an outstanding album that stands the test of time.

Critique of the Album:

One significant criticism of the album is that it is often compared to EPMD’s album “Strictly Business.” The similarity in the beat-structure, tempo, and overall sound result in the album often sounding like a copy of its predecessor rather than a unique album. While the imaginative, sharp rhymes and lively energy of the album cannot be refuted, it was the lack of originality that gave a few critics pause.

One significant criticism of the album is that it is often compared to EPMD’s album “Strictly Business.” The similarity in the beat-structure, tempo, and overall sound result in the album often sounding like a copy of its predecessor rather than a unique album. While the imaginative, sharp rhymes and lively energy of the album cannot be refuted, it was the lack of originality that gave a few critics pause.

In conclusion, Dead Serious by Das Efx remains a seminal and stalwart album in the hip hop genre. Its characteristic, choppy rhymes, and unique flow has been incomparable when it came out and stand out as unique even today. The album is an essential part of hip hop's progression, and it laid down the foundation for modern rapping. Although it has received criticisms, Das Efx’s Dead Serious has stood the test of time, as it remains a musical landmark and a masterpiece in the world of rap music.