Too often unsung and un-MCeed are the masters of markers and the aerosol-ballers with the gall. While this art has been tagged "graffiti" by aboveground clowns who can't even comprehend a tag, Newark's Artifacts highlight the maligned discipline in their debut single, "Wrong Side of da Tracks." In fact, Tame One has been writing since '80, as he and cohort El The Sensei dwelled on Hip-Hop in Jersey's Brick City. The album Between a Rock and a Hard Place exudes Hip-Hop culture as daily existence -- surviving on the spirited sustenance of its four essential food group: DJs, MCs, breakers and bombers. Thus, the obligatory anthem "Whayback" gives respect to Marley Marl, Biz Markie, Rock Steady, BDP and that ephemeral Graffiti Rock episode -- which had a shorter run than Jim Brown's Dirty Dozen dash. Lyrically, El The Sensei and Tame One flow best in battling mode cuts like "Flex Wit Da Tech(nique)," "Whassup Now Muthaf#cka" and "Cummin' Thru Ya F--kin Block," which features Redman on mic and boards. With T-Ray doing a majority of the production, you'll hear a nice but standard scheme of stealthy bass lines and haunted horns. But where's the freaking turntable tweaking? DJ Buckwild briefly retorts in "C'Mon Wit Da Git Down." However, within the frayed context of what we're hearing today, the Artifacts' record unloads mind-blowing cuts squished in between conservative tracks (you get a "blunt" song, a "female" song, etc). Yet Artifacts will make your head nod. The skills, combined with loyalty, are there, and that'll hopefully yield bolder endeavors in the future. - Rap Pages, 1994. Revisit Between a Rock and a Hard Place below...
The full Review in Rap Pages (1994) is below...
