For first-timers Demented Beat Apostles, putting out such a debut album as 'Stardom! Sithlords and More' could be tricky thing. Reason being, eventually they're going to have make a second record. And this one's gonna be hard to beat.
Made up of MC Mr. Sith the Dark Lord and DJ/MC A7, the duo constructs tracks which are funk and jazz-based, sampling Ohio Players, Quincy Jones, Birdsong, and others, which is refreshing in this time of meandering synth riffs and keyboard drum pads. And with the musicality being so strong, the group could be the lamest lyricists and get away with it.
But both Sith and A7's wordplay and street wit is equally as strong as their trackbuilding. "Corny and dorky/aint getting none like white boys on Porky's" (from "Stardom!!!") and "F#%k you chickenhead b$%#h, your mom got 2 tits and a dad with no d#$k/ your sister got a mustache and talk with a lisp!" (from "XTC") are examples of the tripped-up humor that can be found. There's also heartfelt good-will wishing "If U need a lift then hit ya spliff…or maybe just sit in your basement/and if ya speaker's blown we'll replace it " and "Seeing these junkies man they catch that nod that's Deep like Mobb another case they dodge… Y'all all some shining stars, no matter who U R" (from "America no sooner said").
The tracks to die for are the last two of the album, "She knows" and "XTC." The former lyrically mixes humor and sincerity with lyrics saying at one point, "My ex lady claims I'm still crazy/cause I came into the mall cussing round some babies" and later in a message to a child says, "One of the reasons your mom ain't my wife/she couldn't hang slang the verbalistics…so I do it for you."
Stardom! Sithlords and More is a must fans still bummed that nothing of the quality of early Tribe Called Quest and De La Soul has graced our speakers in a spell.
