Here to Save You All

1. Here to Save You All

2. Deliver

3. No Complex

4. Partner to Swing

5. It's All Bad

6. Freestyle Rhymes

7. Riiiot! - Chino XL, Ras Kass

8. Waiting to Exhale - Chino XL,

9. What Am I?

10. Feelin' Evil Again

11. Thousands

12. Kreep

13. Many Different Ways

14. Shabba-Doo Conspiracy - Chino XL, Kool Keith

15. Ghetto Vampire

16. Rise

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com
Too often rap isn't about rapping at all, and it seems a shame that in exchange for a fat beat and hook many hip-hoppers forsake the vocals on which the genre bases itself. Not so former Art of Origin frontman Chino XL. The East Orange, New Jersey, rapper is a fully dedicated lyricist, and a good one at that. So good, in fact, his music suffers by comparison.

The weak link in Here To Save You All, Chino's debut solo album, is no doubt its flat beats and rote backing tracks. Except for the swinging "Feelin' Evil Again" and stirring "Rise," there's a dullness that keeps the album a notch away from great hip-hop. Chino does his part, however, to keep the craft of the MC alive. With relentless, lightning-fast delivery he drops pop culture references like a ghetto Dennis Miller, naming everyone from Eazy E and LaMaze to Donna Karan and Pearl Jam with witty, outrageous insight.

Into the jokes he mixes substance whether he's tackling status and materialism in rap ("No Complex") or the identity crisis of growing up half-black/half-Puerto Rican in a white neighborhood ("What I Am?"). Then, where most rappers make empty claims authenticity, Chino lets his imagination take control. He recounts lives and loves he's never had ("It's All Bad" and "Kreep"), then muses over fallen angels ("Ghetto Vampire") and the afterlife ("Rise"). Part monologuist, part short story author, Chino is an uncommon reminder of all a rapper can be. --Roni Sarig

Here to Save You All,Chino XL,Warner Bros / Wea,Hardcore Rap,Hip-Hop,Pop,Rap,Rap & Hip-Hop

Here to Save You All

Average customer rating:

SWEET BEATS RETARDS
Punchline Master {4.5 Stars}
(3+half) Solid debut from a lyrical SAVIOUR!!!
Classic
Master of Similes And Metphors

Here to Save You All
Chino XL
Manufacturer: Warner Bros / Wea
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Soul | R&B | Styles | Music

Gangsta & Hardcore | Rap & Hip-Hop | Styles | Music

General | Rap & Hip-Hop | Styles | Music

Pop Rap | Rap & Hip-Hop | Styles | Music
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Release Date: 1996-04-09

Tracks:

Here To Save You All
Deliver
No Complex
Partner To Swing
It's All Bad
Freestyle Rhymes
Riiiot!
Waiting To Exhale
What Am I?
Feelin' Evil Again
Thousands
Kreep
Many Different Ways
The Shabba-Doo Conspiracy
Ghetto Vampire
Rise
Silent
Silent
Silent
Silent
Silent
Silent
Silent
Silent
Silent
Silent
Silent
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Silent
Silent
Silent
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Silent
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Silent
Silent
Silent
Silent
Silent
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Silent
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Bonus Track 1
Silent

Amazon.com

Too often rap isn't about rapping at all, and it seems a shame that in exchange for a fat beat and hook many hip-hoppers forsake the vocals on which the genre bases itself. Not so former Art of Origin frontman Chino XL. The East Orange, New Jersey, rapper is a fully dedicated lyricist, and a good one at that. So good, in fact, his music suffers by comparison.

The weak link in Here To Save You All, Chino's debut solo album, is no doubt its flat beats and rote backing tracks. Except for the swinging "Feelin' Evil Again" and stirring "Rise," there's a dullness that keeps the album a notch away from great hip-hop. Chino does his part, however, to keep the craft of the MC alive. With relentless, lightning-fast delivery he drops pop culture references like a ghetto Dennis Miller, naming everyone from Eazy E and LaMaze to Donna Karan and Pearl Jam with witty, outrageous insight.

Customer Reviews:

SWEET BEATS RETARDS.......2006-11-28

i never even heard bout this cd b4, but i sampled it and the beats sound amazing and so do the raps, i dont know y some people are complaining about sick beats like these.

Punchline Master {4.5 Stars}.......2006-09-18

I don't think there's any question as to whether or not Chino XL is a next level emcee, we all know he is, but anyone that tells you that beats are irrelevant to a rap album is crazy -- rap was born from party music...not the other way around.

I remember watching video jukebox back in '96 and seeing his video for No Complex for the first time. I think I ran my moms phone bill up about $30 just on that video and Das EFX's "Baknaffek" video (which I think I kept on the air for about 2 years all by myself). The funny thing is that almost no one payed any attention to Chino when he dropped. He was getting praise for the classic "No Complex", but after he dropped "Kreep" he seemed to lose/confuse a lot of people because back then lyricists where all about flexin' their mic skills instead of showing their range/versatility. As far as I'm concerned, this is the best album that no one bought in 1996. Whether it's ill lyricism (No Complex), varied subject matter (What Am I), or neck jerking beats (It's All Bad), this album has a little bit of everything.

The flaws on this album are few. Some complain that the beats are boring, but this isn't club music. This is hardcore, boom bap styled rap. Which means the emphasis is going to be placed more on the lyrics than the beats. The only people gettin' "jiggy" in '96 were the pop acts (Nas, Kim, Jay, Puff & Big, etc...). I found the production to be a perfect backdrop for Chino to unload on. My only beef is the somewhat disturbing "hidden track" #60 (it offers weird commentary on the OJ trial and it isn't a "track" at all) and "Thousands" is somewhat forgettable.

If you're into outstanding, next level lyricism, then this album is definitely for you. The punchlines and similies on the album are unlike those you would get from the average rapper. Even though Here To Save You All dropped to almost no fanfare, it's still one of the best albums to come out of '96. Chino may have been a little too far above the heads of the average listener at the time and it's a shame because this great album was all but ignored when it dropped. It shouldn't be too hard to find now, so if you come across it, snatch it up. You won't be disappointed at all.

Standout Tracks: Rise, Feelin' Evil Again, Riiot feat. Ras Kass, It's All Bad, Ghetto Vampire, No Complex (My Favorite), Many Different Ways, Freestyle Rhymes, The Shabba Doo Conspiracy feat. Kool Keith, and What Am I

(3+half) Solid debut from a lyrical SAVIOUR!!!.......2006-08-25

Far too many times rap has been overlooked on actual "rapping" in favour of what sounds hot beatwise. On this occasion its the opposite. We get quite possibly the best lyricist of his time spittin' on luke-warm beats. Obviously there's moments where the beats do him justice but for the most part he's, left without "backup" as it were. Tracks like "Deliver", "No Complex", "Partner To Swing", "Freestyle Rhymes" (my favourite), "Riiiot!" (awesome collabo with RasKass), "What Am I?", "Feelin' Evil Again", "Thousands", "Kreep" and "Many Different Ways" are all explosive and yet so different because of subject matter+Chino's vast vocabulary. His delivery is nothing short of perfection and his one-liners, punchlines and metaphors are lyrical mastery. No wonder he's now known as the "king of metaphors". However tracks like "It's All Bad", "Waiting To Exhale", "The Shabba-Doo Conspiracy", "Ghetto Vampire" and "Rise" were personally, weak points to me. They took away from the album for me. Apart from that its amazing to hear the focus back on the artform of rhyming. Remember this is 10 YEARS old and still better than most of whats out in the last 3 years.

Classic.......2006-06-08

... The ghetto vampire is a metaphor for people taking money out of urban communities, "the plague" his "left hand writes" is a metaphor which he uses to manifest his "Ill" lyrics to a literal illness... The dude has metaphors as well as similies, saying he's entirely one or the other is stupid and so are people for saying it.

Creativity and intelligence are in abundance, notice how he makes pop culture reffferences and yet all of his lyrics rotate around one topic even with that ? That is what takes skill.

Beats are irrelevant to the quality of a rap album, rap is vocal not musical, the beat doesn't make the rap, the rap makes the beat, brings it to life. otherwise all a beat is is a fancy tempo.

I'm sorry but this guy is one of the greatest to ever touch a mic.
He murdered pac in a single line, he left him so shook all he could say was that lil shout out on "hit em up". That's because pac was an overrated piece of industry crap who sold his soul after his first two albums.

Master of Similes And Metphors.......2005-12-31

Chino Xl has to be one of the most (if not the most)talented lyrcists in the rap game now. He's an amazingly intelegent rapper that is very raw and blunt about his views and feelings. He's the only rapper I can think of that belongs to MENSA (a club for geniuses such as James woods and Stephen Hawking) and this album reflects that. If your thinking about buying it just do it. It is absolutely amazing. It has inspired me to rap and I will try to be as smart and flow as good as him. Everything on this album is good but look for Riiot!,Its All Bad, and No Complex.Don't be fooled by haters this is a classic!!!!

Average customer rating:

great, great!!!
ALL THE MUSIC YOU EVER NEED!!

Sacred Music Complete
Purcell , King , and Kings Consort
Manufacturer: Hyperion UK
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Release Date: 2002-12-10

Customer Reviews:

great, great!!!.......2006-12-05

This is the way ,I think, Purcell should sound. No pomp and surcomstance but only great music.

ALL THE MUSIC YOU EVER NEED!!.......2003-05-23

This boxed set is by far one of the best purchases I have ever made. As a Purcell freak, this hits every button I have. The cast of characters include the inequitable Robert King, New College Choir, Bowman, and a host of other venerable persons. Likewise the attention to period performance of these works makes it an essential addition to the library of any serious anglophile/Musicologist etc. Now if only the Britten Realizations of all Purcell's songs could be recorded alongside the originals! You will Love this set!