A Prince Among Thieves

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
The concept album has a long history in rock & roll , with the Who's Tommy being by far the most successful (by virtue of its turns on the big screen and Broadway, respectively). Hip-hop has had a few interesting (Kool Keith's Sex Style) and not-so-interesting (RZA's Bobby Digital in Stereo) goes at the form, but not until Prince Paul's A Prince Among Thieves has the genre had a true epic of its own to claim. The album, a cynical story of two friends that turn into rivals over a record deal, is solid on every level, with a full story, great music, and a strong cast. The disc is populated by a bevy of characters, many played by solid veterans--Chris Rock and De La Soul as junkies, Everlast as a crooked cop, Biz Markie and Special Ed as enforcers for Chubb Rock's gangsta don, and Big Daddy Kane as a pimp--but features a pair of talented newcomers (Sha and Breeze) as the leads. Sha and Breeze are dynamic, and they show up some of the bigger stars here--though only a couple of the characters disappoint (most surprising of which is Kool Keith's Crazy Lou). Ultimately, it's a hell of a record, with Breeze, Chubb Rock, Big Daddy Kane, Heroine, De La Soul, Xzibit, Brand Nubian's Sadat X, and Kid Creole taking best advantage of the killer tracks Paul serves up for them. --Randy Silver

Spin
A Prince Among Thieves could be heard as the renaissance of hip-hop's psychedelic edge.... [T]his cartoon panoply of sound never loses a powerful sense of cumulative derangement.

A Prince Among Thieves,Prince Paul,Tommy Boy,Alternative Rap,Hip-Hop,Pop,Rap,Rap & Hip-Hop,Underground Rap

A Prince Among Thieves

A Prince Among Thieves
A Prince Among Thieves
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • One Of The Most Entertaining Albums That I've Heard (Rating: 9 out of 10- -4.5 stars)
  • Conceptual Masterpiece
  • Phenomenal Album
  • Greatest Concept Album Ever
  • Not Over The Underworld
 A Prince Among Thieves
Prince Paul
Manufacturer: Rhino / Ada
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

East CoastEast Coast | Rap & Hip-Hop | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Rap & Hip-Hop | Styles | Music
Experimental RapExperimental Rap | Rap & Hip-Hop | Styles | Music
Pop RapPop Rap | Rap & Hip-Hop | Styles | Music
Rhino RecordsRhino Records | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music
Similar Items:
  1. Politics of the Business
  2. White People
  3. Dr. Octagonecologyst
  4. Madvillainy
  5. Vaudeville Villain

ASIN: B00000HZVC
Release Date: 1999-02-23

Tracks:

  1. Tariq's Dilemma
  2. Pain
  3. How It All Started
  4. Steady Slobbin'
  5. Just Another Day
  6. What U Got
  7. The Hustles On
  8. MC Hustler
  9. The Call
  10. The Other Line
  11. Crazy Lou's Hideout
  12. Weapon World
  13. My Big Chance
  14. War Party
  15. Count Macula
  16. Macula's Theory
  17. Mr. Large
  18. Can You Handle It
  19. Put The Next Man On
  20. I Was In
  21. My First Day
  22. More Than U Know
  23. Room 69
  24. Mood For Love
  25. The Bust
  26. The Men in Blue
  27. Central Booking
  28. Handle Your Time
  29. The Rev
  30. Sermon
  31. Showdown
  32. You Got Shot
  33. Every Beginning Must Have An Ending
  34. The New Joint (DJ's Delight)
  35. A Prince Among Thieves

Amazon.com

The concept album has a long history in rock & roll , with the Who's Tommy being by far the most successful (by virtue of its turns on the big screen and Broadway, respectively). Hip-hop has had a few interesting (Kool Keith's Sex Style) and not-so-interesting (RZA's Bobby Digital in Stereo) goes at the form, but not until Prince Paul's A Prince Among Thieves has the genre had a true epic of its own to claim. The album, a cynical story of two friends that turn into rivals over a record deal, is solid on every level, with a full story, great music, and a strong cast. The disc is populated by a bevy of characters, many played by solid veterans--Chris Rock and De La Soul as junkies, Everlast as a crooked cop, Biz Markie and Special Ed as enforcers for Chubb Rock's gangsta don, and Big Daddy Kane as a pimp--but features a pair of talented newcomers (Sha and Breeze) as the leads. Sha and Breeze are dynamic, and they show up some of the bigger stars here--though only a couple of the characters disappoint (most surprising of which is Kool Keith's Crazy Lou). Ultimately, it's a hell of a record, with Breeze, Chubb Rock, Big Daddy Kane, Heroine, De La Soul, Xzibit, Brand Nubian's Sadat X, and Kid Creole taking best advantage of the killer tracks Paul serves up for them. --Randy Silver

Customer Reviews:

4 out of 5 stars One Of The Most Entertaining Albums That I've Heard (Rating: 9 out of 10- -4.5 stars).......2007-04-09

Prince Paul has always been a favorite producer of mine. He has produced such albums as 3 Feet High and Rising as well as 6 Feet Deep. If you're familar with those two albums, you can expect something similar to that on this album "A Price Among Thieves". What I appreciate about this album is that it runs along a storyline of written events, sort of like a movie on a CD. Where there are two main characters (played by Big Sha and Breeze) who are friends and one of them is trying to get a record deal, and goes through some problems along the way. I really don't want to give away the whole story in my review, but the album has a twisted ending, and it kind of makes you wonder in your mind "What did I learn from this album?" Trust me people, the lesson is there.

Now that being said, the music on the album itself is nice. All of the tracks are produced by Prince Paul. And everyone who is on this album is apart of the story. Appearances from De La Soul ("More Than You Know"), Everlast ("The Men In Blue"), Big Daddy Kane ("Macula's Theory"), as well as Breeze and Sha drop nice rhymes over Prince Paul's production. There are even some funny parts, such as Chris Rock playing the role of a crack head.

If any inconsitant part on this album, I would blame the some of the artists. Kool Keith plays the part of a weapon store owner on "Weapon World" and he comes off as a dissapointmet in his song. And I agree with another reviewer who says "Mood For Love" by Newkirk is a little too long (a real slow song clocking in over 3 minutes).

Overall, this album is phenominal. The only album I heard with a storyline concept was Organized Konfusion's The Equinox, and no too many album have this kind of concept. So that alone is real origonal. As for Prince Paul, his production is great. I personally rank him along side of producers such as DJ Premier and Pete Rock as one of the best in hip hop. Trust me, even your favorite album doesn't have a concept like this that will keep you wondering what is going to happen next. This is one I recommend you give a listen, and even at this price, you cannot go wrong. Peace!

Lyrics: N/A (Prince Paul doesn't rhyme on this album)
Production: A+
Guest Appearances: A-
Musical Vibes: A-
Overall: A

To 5 Favorite Tracks:
1. Steady Slobbin (a funny remake of Cube's "Steady Mobbin'")
2. A Prince Among Thieves
3. War Party
4. The Other Line
5. Put The Next Man On

Honorable Mention Track: What You Got (The Demo)

5 out of 5 stars Conceptual Masterpiece.......2006-11-17

After a few weeks now, I still got this on some major "encore" rotation.

From start to finish, a nearly 77 min. movie clip through spoken word only. Vivid depictions of the hustlin', gangbangin', and studio habits from a "poet" who rhymes over some cool vibe beats.

Great production. Great "film." Great concept. If you haven't, buy it now already. Trust me, you will get more than you money's worth.

5 out of 5 stars Phenomenal Album.......2005-08-26

I was introduced to this album by my friends father in minnesota, and he listens to country. Whether you like rap or not, this story will abduct you and bring you into its world within the first 25 seconds of the first song. the way the beat cuts in is perfect and the opening lyrics are phenomenal. Character descritpion and story is all in music and every interlude is a short tie-in for every melodical chapter. when a DVD just won't do it, and the same old CDs don't cut it, this compilation of artists comes to the rescue.

5 out of 5 stars Greatest Concept Album Ever.......2004-06-17

I put it out there.
This has got to be the great and most complex and complete concept album ever. It is a album that could be made into a movie easily and somewhat is if you ever saw the music video for the album.
The ablum tells the story of Tariq, who is trying to get a record contract and needs to make some money to finish up his tracks and ...well, I don't want to give it away.

This album also has great appearances by: Sadat X, De La Soul, Kool Keith, Xzibit, Big Daddy Kane, Chubb Rock, Everlast, Biz Markie, Chris Rock, and Rza.

And as always Prince Paul put several skits throughout the album.
(Check out Tariq's mom the end of track #3 -- it's hilarious). Chris Rock also does a funny skit as a crack head.
There also is a great remake of the Ice Cube song "Steady Mobbin'" (off the Death Certificate) called "Steady Slobbin'"

This is a true classic hiphop album.

4 out of 5 stars Not Over The Underworld.......2004-01-05

To a certain extent Prince Paul's legend precedes his influence, but to a certain extent you can get lost and this record will aid you in that. The DJ for Stetsasonic and De La Soul, Prince Paul is something slightly more than a virtuoso of the turntable or a chronicler of urban reality: if anybody deserves to be mentioned in the same breath as the concept of "mapping the nation", fundamentally equivocal as both it and the present situation of the United States are, it is him. Paul doesn't understand everything around him, but has a long enough cultural memory (and ways enough) to present a fundamentally different vision of cultural life than his peers. Is this a solo activity? If he had to rely on the phony rappers you've been hearing about, it might well be: though the scenarios be various (about which more below), there is a single "hand of the artist" present here.

After *Psychoanalysis: What Is It?* Paul seemed to be aiming for something more pragmatic, and although this tale of legitimacy and illegitimacy didn't break anything except critics' top ten lists (the world over, one hopes) it's still one of the most instructive cultural products of the '90s, not least because of the carefully selected MC roster. Paul describes the wide-ranging selection of rappers here as a "personal best", but the selection is neither revivalist nor indicative of a particular style within the "East Coast" framework: both long-legendary figures and (relative) unknowns are in the mix, and one suspects nobody had to pay Paul the money they owed him for this one. But this is beyond an artistic statement, this was a bid for a formative influence on a new generation of artists: and that it appears to have been only a plaything for talking heads diminishes *it* not at all. And we for the time being we have more Prince Paul in *Politics of the Business*, but I can imagine a not-too-distant future in which we will have hardly any Paul at all (which would probably suit the man himself just fine.)

Not to be surpassed, but hopefully to be equalled in kind: this is the kind of visionary who exerts a seriously positive influence on the cultural field.
A Prince Among Thieves
Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
  • The most important cd of the decade, or any other.
  • great cd
  • Five Star Classic
 A Prince Among Thieves
Prince Paul
Manufacturer: Tommy
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

East CoastEast Coast | Rap & Hip-Hop | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Rap & Hip-Hop | Styles | Music
Experimental RapExperimental Rap | Rap & Hip-Hop | Styles | Music
Rap & Hip-HopRap & Hip-Hop | Imports | Stores | Music
ASIN: B00000K21F
Release Date: 1999-07-23

Tracks:

  1. Tariq's Dilemma (Intro)
  2. Pain - Breeze, Breezly Brewin', Prince Paul,
  3. How It All Started
  4. Steady Slobbin' - Breeze, Breezly Brewin', Prince Paul
  5. Just Another Day
  6. What U Got [The Demo] - Breeze, Breezly Brewin', Prince Paul
  7. Hustles On
  8. MC Hustler
  9. Call
  10. Other Line - Breeze, Breezly Brewin', , Prince Paul
  11. Crazy Lou's Hideout
  12. Weapon World - Kool Keith, Prince Paul
  13. My Big Chance
  14. War Party
  15. Count Macula
  16. Macula's Theory - Big Daddy Kane, Prince Paul
  17. Mr. Large - Biz Markie, Chubb Rock, Prince Paul
  18. Can You Handle It
  19. Put the Next Man On - Breeze, Breezly Brewin', Prince Paul, , Superstar
  20. I Was In
  21. My First Day - Prince Paul, Chris Rock
  22. More Than U Know - De La Soul, Prince Paul
  23. Room 69 - Prince Paul,
  24. Mood for Love
  25. Bust
  26. Men in Blue - Everlast, Prince Paul
  27. Central Booking
  28. Handle Your Time - Kid Creole, Prince Paul, Sadat X,
  29. Rev
  30. Sermon
  31. Showdown
  32. You Got Shot - Breeze, Breezly Brewin', Prince Paul,
  33. Every Beginning Must Have an Ending
  34. New Joint (DJ's Delite)
  35. Prince Among Thieves - Prince Paul,

Album Details

Includes Japanese Exclusive Bonus Track.

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars The most important cd of the decade, or any other........2003-04-05

As Prince Paul says,"this may not be a popular album, but it's an important one". Indeed it is one of the most creative cd's I've bought in many years. There are so many issues in this story that I've decided to lead a discussion group around this music. I only hope that the hip-hop world can take it's head out of it's own mainstream ass for just a minute to listen to this story about two friends who wind up shooting each other over a record deal. There's much more to this story then what I've just mentioned, but the listener must truley "listen" or you will be "surprised" by the ending(I know I was).

5 out of 5 stars great cd.......2002-06-04

one of the best cd's i have heard you just have to hear this one from start to finish good story great beats and rhymes worth double what it costs

5 out of 5 stars Five Star Classic.......2000-07-20

too bad prince paul isn't in the main stream. too bad the hip-hop world has become a mainstream circus filled with corny unoriginal mc's. then comes paul. he's from the old school, back in the day he ran w/ de la soul. his album is the most creative piece of work i've ever seen. if a more notable rapper would have come up w/ his idea, this album would be on billboard. don't worry, soon someone will copy his style and sell a million records. just don't forget who did it 1st. do ya thing dunn, you're a price among thieves!

Soul Music:

  1. All Balls Don't Bounce Revisited [Enhanced]
  2. Always and Forever [Explicit Lyrics]
  3. An Evening With the Sound Providers
  4. Black August [Enhanced] [Explicit Lyrics]
  5. Black Elvis/Lost in Space
  6. Black Market Militia [Explicit Lyrics]
  7. (Blacktrash) The Autobiography of Kirk Jones [Explicit Lyrics]
  8. Business as Usual [Explicit Lyrics]
  9. Certified [DualDisc] [Explicit Lyrics]
  10. Chapter II: Family Reunion [Explicit Lyrics]

Soul Music

soul music

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