NEW YORK, NY (Jive) - After the much-publicized label saga, Re-Up/Jive recording artist the
Clipse can now let someone else speak on their behalf. Namely XXL magazine music critic Brendan Frederick, who in the November issue bestows upon Hell Hath No Fury, their oft-delayed sophomore release, the mag's highest XXL review rating - only the 4th perfect score in the publication's 8-year history. Citing the duo's lyrical acumen, depth of content, and lack of superfluous guest appearances, Frederick asserts that the
Clipse have in Fury "street hip-hop built to last." Having flooded the streets with mixtape traffic, brothers
Pusha T and Malice have mauled the obstacles of time and pressure, condensing the carbon smoke of public invective into glittering diamond.
The release date of the album has finally been set for November 28, 2006. This news comes none too soon for fans fiending for the Virginia duo's lethal dose of vein-spiking allegory and head-creasing commentary, a formula whipped up to platinum caliber on their 2002 debut, Lord Willin'. "The moving up of the date is purely off the demand of the consumer and the Clipse fan," the brothers note, balancing artistry and groundedness. "That's who we doing this for right now. This album is about the fans that kept us relevant. They've helped us carve out our path, and we're very prepared to go against the grain in putting out these releases. We had that confidence that not one conglomerate is gonna hold us back."
That sort of dedication, in spite of mainstream whitewashing of rap music, gives the Clipse their grit. Other acts would be content to let the Neptunes craft an LP of club bangers and simply amass those spins and ends. But the brothers are in this for good, and for the good of the game: "We just wanna be responsible for putting out the hip-hop that we and our peers listen to, and that's lyric-driven hip-hop. We wanna be known as the guys who brought a balance back to hip-hop in general."
The four years wait hasn't softened the Clipse' resolve; they're resiliently reloaded to smash the airwaves and shatter the stagnation of current rap. "The album is a documentary. This is the life of the Clipse, what we're going through, and us spillin' our guts, and letting the world know it ain't been all gravy with us. This album, if it says nothing else, says struggle. It represents struggle." Lord willing.
