lol, yeah I had that sampler too, came in a purple slim case.
HHI review wrote:Fishin' In Troubled Waters
(2001, HHI-Recordings) CD: $13.50 @ The HHI Store
"Are you guys gonna review your own product? Or is that gonna be like Nintendo Power reviewing NES games?"-- iCON the Mic King
Disclaimer: Below is an HHI review for an HHI released product. The author of this review had little/ no involvement in the making of this release. For a list of other, independent reviews, as well as fan feedback, click HERE.
Unlike most album titles, Fishin' In Troubled Waters, the name of Hip Hop Infinity's compilation record, may give rise to some sort of cogitation. Maybe it refers to the album's supposed target audience: People willing to wade through often times discouraging amounts of wack music to reach that one shining gem amongst all the trinkets. Or possibly it hints at the independent artists that the album represents: Individuals who choose to travel the extra mile, and make sacrifices for the art they are so fond of. Or perhaps this is simply the record Jay Seagraves likes to bump while fishing on Lake Michigan.
To put it plainly, Fishin' In Troubled Waters is damn solid. After hearing the strong opener "One More Tomorrow" be followed by quality track after quality track, you may wonder if the compilation ever hits a true low-point. Naturally, that moment does eventually come, but considering the varying backgrounds the featured artists come from, it's respectable how compact and consistent a record Fishin'... is. In addition, choosing to keep the artist roster comparatively devoid of underground heavyweights seems to have been a good choice, with the record's coherence in mind.
Starting with the worst, "Rotten Apple" by Erosadis may well be the only distinct weak link on the compilation. His emotional lyrics dealing with the father he never had, and the sufficient instrumentation are the saving grace of the joint, as the drums and especially his delivery are severely lacking. Also, while certainly nowhere near a bad song, Paradigm's delivery on "Freedom Fighters" is unfortunately stale-- which is truly a shame, because the self-produced instrumental is definitely nice, and Paradigm's socially conscious rhymes are exceptional. Some may front on "Blessed," because of Epic's unconventional way of conveying his words, but more open-minded listeners will undoubtedly cherish this heartfelt song.
In addition to "Blessed," "One More Tomorrow" and "I Rap, You Listen" assure that Canadian hip hop is properly represented. Though both feature typically dope production from mcenroe, the latter is the tighter of the two thanks to Pip Skid's passionate contribution. Also, for some more non-US flavor, Norwegian producer Leprechaun combines with iCON the Mic King on "Insight" for praiseworthy results.
The real stand-out tracks on Fishin' in Troubled Waters must be "My Life" and "Dull Day." The duo of Mars ILL have obtained a mass of acclaim in underground circuits, and "My Life" shows no reason to cut down on the praise. DJ Dust's soulful guitar loop is plain dope, and soulheir the ManCHILD grabs the mic with a sense of vigor, and refuses to drop a meaningless rhyme. Logic, whose merits may not be as heralded as Mars ILL's, reaches at least an equally high level of dopeness with "Dull Day." The beat is simply head-noddable, and Logic's slice of life lyrics manage to capture the frustrations of a young man. The chorus is remarkably well-crafted, too: you'll have the hook stuck in your head for hours-- guaranteed.
The remainder of Fishin'... is all pretty much solid. "Suicide Diaries" sports a dope horn sample that even Pete Rock might be jealous of, and pensive rhymes a la Slaughterhouse V's Lost Won. FuseONE's somber "Trail of Despair," JAQ's nostalgic "Testament," and the album's sole battle track, "Ground Zero" by Genelec & Memphis Reigns, are equally fresh, and tracks by The Unseen and Starving Artists Crew deserve a mention, as well.
In the field of compilations, Fishin' In Troubled Waters is just about as good as it gets. The common stumbling-stone this type of albums tend to have; too many previously heard songs, is avoided with success, and no song really seems out of place. Although a few cuts aren't exclusives, it would be quibbling to kvetch: The sense of perpetuity the record has is undamaged. Fishing in troubled waters might be risky, but that whopper you could catch may just be worth the hazard.
@ The Unseen.
