Termanology: Politics as Usual

A buzz was created around Termanology when “Watch How It Go Does” dropped. The kid had plenty of potential with his high level of spunk, energy, and ferocity. Fact is, he sounded like a seasoned veteran with arguably the greatest producer of this genre. Time went on and nothing dropped from Term. When word came out that he was to drop yet another track with DJ Premier, many more people began to take notice. Politics as Usual began picking up steam after Term dropped his mixtape, “Hood Politics 5″ and from there all anybody needed to see was the track listings. Compile a “Top 15 Producers” list, and I guarantee you that most, if not all, of these producers are on it. Ranging from the aforementioned Premier, Term has some how managed to get production from the likes of A-List producers, Chocolate Boy Wonder, Buckwild, Havoc, Alchemist, Extra P, Nottz, Hi-Tek, and Easy Mo Bee. As if the production credits aren’t enough, Term went out and got features from Lil’ Fame, Prodigy, Bun B, Freeway, and Sheek. Wow. While this lineup is a winner on paper, does it hold up to the high standards that some may hold or does it underachieve?

The first lyrics of the album are: “I see myself as the holy resurrection of Pun/ If I ain’t that, then you name one“, on the aforementioned “Watch…”, which remains a dope track even as it turns almost a year old. The album is littered with bold and slightly absurd statements, “If I wanted to, I could keep up with Nas“…maybe if he was doing a light jog. That excerpt comes from “So Amazing”, a 4 minute shit-talk track with Term being one of the cockiest artists to ‘grace’ us since the likes of LL. It really does get out of hand throughout the entire album considering that this artist has hardly established himself to the likes of other artists he compares himself to. The Premier produced “How We Rock” features Bun B over a tremendous mystery-like beat. Bun B absolutely steals the show on this, even with a great first verse from Term.

Nottz (read feature here) delivers three interesting beats to Term. “Please Don’t Go” is really catchy, especially with the hypnotic chorus and light bounce. “Drugs, Crime & Gorillaz” is a dark beat that samples the movie, “Pootie Tang”…interesting. Sheek and Freeway lend helping hands, but once again, Term holds his own especially on the last 30 seconds when he blacks out with an everlasting flow while dropping some great lines. “Float” is another light beat that gives Term the chance to ask his peers to join him for a chance to fly high with some substance assistance.

From weed to apology, “Sorry I Lied to You” is the Large Pro gem that has Term saying sorry to his fans for his album’s delay and others for family and legal issues. The beat makes this track extra haunting and heartfelt. It also shows that Extra P hasn’t lost a step and that Term, in fact, can rhyme beyond braggadocio, drugs, and violence. He continues this trend with some help from Pete Rock on “We Killing Ourselves”. Pete provides the beat and the chorus and Term speaks on subjects of unsafe sex, youth deviance, drug usage, and violence. Once again, Term is sufficient in doing this and while it isn’t as poetic or as smooth as another artist might do (Mos Def, Nas), he is still able to pull it off in a more than respectable way.

More narcissism is delivered on the horn blaring Buckwild banger, “Respect My Walk,” and the album’s closer, “The Chosen,” produced by Havoc. It is on these tracks that he continues to talk about this God-like emcee image he firmly believes he has. “In The Streets” has Hi-Tek displaying why he still hasn’t lost a step, but also has Term getting outmatched by a hungrier and more skilled Lil’ Fame. This adds on to the great featured acts on the album; very valuable and all contribute something excellent to the piece.

The album doesn’t necessarily have a weak track; in fact, it is hard to believe the forward button will ever be used when listening to this album because when Term does fail, the beat lifts him up. The production is never really weak; it is however, A-List producers giving Term B-Grade beats {Big ups Hemz). Expectations may take a shot on the production front, but the inconsistency of Term from being really really good, to being a below average emcee takes the listener for a ride. He walks the fine line of becoming annoying with name dropping, I.E. Game, and goes a little over board with the self proclamations and line biting (or homage; however you want to look at it). Term takes a song like “So Amazing”, which could be his version of “Nas is Like,” and goes beyond the unwritten rule of the number of big ups one is allowed to give himself. In turn, this makes the song redundant. It is when he expands the subject matter to a more serious variety that he exemplifies his true potential.

Keep an eye out for Termanology because, as previously mentioned, he has a tremendous amount of talent and potential. He just needs to follow the guiding light of Premier and all of the other super-producers that hooked him up on this album to formulate a rapper who knows his niche. It is hard to put a guy like Term, who has so much drive, in a box, but a huge part of politics is controlled freedom, as usual.

Overall Score: 78/100

Standout Tracks:

“How We Rock”

“Watch How It Goes Down”

“Sorry I Lied To You”

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