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10.0
77547
10.0 |
The FT
Foreboding bass, intricate percussion and claustrophobic loops snare the listener in a gothic world of death and revenge from which the only exit is the terminal variety
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10.0
77605
10.0 |
A.V. Club
A triumph not just for Staples, who has never sounded this engaging, but also for executive producer No I.D., who takes big risks behind the boards
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9.1
77599
9.1 |
Pretty Much Amazing
Staples is an esteemed songwriter, weaving in and out of day-to-day hardships with an uncompromising drift that hits hard without compromising the austerity of the subject matter
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9.0
77558
9.0 |
Spin
Staples’ wickedly backward upbringing is the focus of Summertime ’06, which could well be the fiercest, most ferociously focused street-oriented double rap album since UGK’s Underground Kingz
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9.0
77576
9.0 |
Exclaim
Summertime '06's coming of age tale is complemented perfectly by production that finds the nuance in Staples' stories and matches it
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9.0
77665
9.0 |
No Ripcord
Part of what makes Summertime '06 effective is how it moves in quick succession with hardly a dull moment, narrating things as they are without artifice or fear of cleansing his less attractive parts
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9.0
77765
9.0 |
Spectrum Culture
Staples has never apologized for his blood-spattered past, but Summertime does reveal a beating heart beneath the ice cold exterior Staples has perfected
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9.0
77811
9.0 |
The Music
An honest and dark album about growing up in Long Beach, gang life and love, Staples doesn’t hold anything back
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8.8
77549
8.8 |
Pitchfork
Summertime '06 is breathtakingly focused, a marathon that feels like a sprint
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8.5
77548
8.5 |
The 405
Vince rapturously integrates dense and conscious-filled narratives of his inner life, packaged vibrantly over layered and unpredictable production executively produced by No I.D
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8.5
77620
8.5 |
Under The Radar
A vital entry from a burgeoning new star
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8.3
77643
8.3 |
Consequence Of Sound
Stories of childhood gang membership, of his father’s drug dealing and incarceration, of addiction and pain and fear roll together like clouds of smoke thanks to the unified but varied production
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8.0
77809
8.0 |
Beardfood
No I.D. continues to be the king of creating a mood
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8.0
77629
8.0 |
Gig Soup
His shadowy hood nihilism is as prominent as ever – reflected in the eerily uneasy atmosphere that remains a constant threat throughout this ruthless debut
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8.0
77712
8.0 |
PopMatters
The Long Beach rapper steps out with a coming-of-age story on his bold debut album full of stark beats and penetrating lyrics
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8.0
77845
8.0 |
The Guardian
In a year of impressive solo rap albums, Staples has managed to create one that’s arguably the most idiosyncratic of the lot
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8.0
78095
8.0 |
The Irish Times
A remarkable album, full of vibrant characters, real- life drama and questions in search of answers
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7.0
77617
7.0 |
Rolling Stone
It adds up to a hard-hitting 20-track portrait of life and love in a mad city
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6.0
77804
6.0 |
Tiny Mix Tapes
The dynamic range and narrative flow suffer from No-ID’s overweening zeal and Staples’s laid-back acceptance of arbitrary parameters
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