....So, now it's Non-Fiction--another way of portraying what is "real," just in a more creatively flexible way. The Sheep's Non-Fiction is novel in that Dres says what others couldn't think to say. Non-Fiction also has a reality that may shock you: Lawnge gets on the mic.... If Lawnge can serve some lyrical purpose, then it could perhaps be forcing fools to appreciate Dres' resourcefulness and language manipulation. In "Autobiographical," Dres talks of his personal Hip Hop gestation and growth--but in a style that requires some ear reading. On "Peace to the N!ggas," Dres races past a plodding bass line that is reminiscent of "Similak's" homogenized mix. "N!ggas got reprimanded, remanded and then branded / I delve into myself to draw the strength to overstand it." There's certainly both a familial and communal consciousness that is nicely combined with MC combat. On "Do Your Thing": "Time zone / I groans for my sanity I told ya's / I woke up this morning and the world was on my shoulders / They say I'm destined to repeat / We'll see / I fall and rise / So when you look up to my son / You'll see me in his eyes." Furthermore, only Dres can flow "I clean up after my son 'cause that's my duty (dooty)" and sound fly on the shit. And, believe it or not, there's only two cuts about boning. Later, the Legion shows up on "We Boys." Here, Dres flows like a verbally feral Errol Flynn--spryly evading wackness with poetic parries.... With regard to most of the boardwork, Black Sheep sound like Black Sheep--needing, tweaky horns and strange bass lines that were charismatic on their vanguard debut. But some of the tracks are sheepish, shying away from the duo's hallmark edge and just keeping matters on the regular. So please treat this like a record and not some phantasmagorical myth. 'Cause it's rare to see such a keen grasp of the word go hand-in-hand with a skillfully firm grasp on the mic. And that's blessed within D-r-e-s. - Rap Pages (12/94).
The full review and backside of their promotional postcard are below...
