The Disposable Heroes of Hiphoprisy
Hypocrisy Is the Greatest Luxury


4.0
excellent

Review

by BenHeller USER (15 Reviews)
May 9th, 2010 | 16 replies


Release Date: 1992 | Tracklist

Review Summary: For no good reason the album was largely ignored at the time of release, but as a hard hitting time piece of life in 1992 “Hypocrisy Is The Greatest Luxury” remains an extremely valuable piece of work.

Few Hip Hop artists spoke as eloquently as Michael Franti in 1992. He seemed to have a take on everything; consumerism, multiculturalism, capitalism, were just some of the issues he had a grip on, and his unique “Newscaster” style delivery added to the sense of knowledge and authority. Teaming up with musician Rono Tse, the pair holed up in a garage in darkest Oakland California, and set about creating a collection of Franti’s measured Rap examinations, supported by a fresh mix of mechanical thumping drum and bass rhythms with added Jazz inflection which at the time was popular with a number of Hip Hop acts. Whilst many would consider them in the same mould as Public Enemy, Disposable Heroes didn’t rant, mixed home grown and global issues effectively and delivered in an analytical style which showed a genuine originality yet experienced in the genre.

The highlight, and most popular example of Franti and Tse's skill is for the vehement swipe at the centrepiece of modern life. The outstanding “Television, The Drug Of The Nation” casts a hard hitting examination of television and the moral decay of society created by the box in the corner of the room. “Where imagination is sucked out of children by a cathode ray nipple” he warns, and his views on the American nation’s fixation with surface beauty is succinctly wrapped up in the line “Where straight teeth in your mouth are more important than the words that come out of it”. “Famous And Dandy (Like Amos And Andy)” assimilates the stereotypical duality of African Americans and the “expectations” required to recognition in life as Franti explains “As our souls watch astounded, our characters flounder, duplicitous identity, diction and contradiction have become the skills of assimilation”.

Franti isn’t afraid to self analyse either and on the emotionally tender jazz number “Music And Politics” he sings of his own shortcomings, observations delivered with a almost mournful soul as he tells us “I might be able to listen in silence to your concerns, rather than hearing everything as an accusation, or an indictment against me”. A clever rework of The Dead Kennedys’ Punk anthem "California Uber Alles," with lyrics targeting the then governor of the state, Pete Wilson is biting and perfectly honours the original song.

For no good reason the album was largely ignored at the time of release, but as a hard hitting time piece of life in 1992 “Hypocrisy Is The Greatest Luxury” remains an extremely valuable piece of work.



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user ratings (32)
3.4
great


Comments:Add a Comment 
BenHeller
May 10th 2010


27 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0

"Television The Drug Of The Nation"



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sgOWTM5R2DA

Slum
May 10th 2010


2580 Comments


Don't really dig this style, but I enjoyed your review. pos'd

Meatplow
May 10th 2010


5523 Comments


I'm glad this has gotten a review.

I highly dig this album, reminds me of Public Enemy if they had a little more industrial flavour in their beats. A very solid album.

illmitch
May 10th 2010


5511 Comments

Album Rating: 2.5

good review, not too big a fan of the album though. the beats and rapping just bore the fuck out of me.

Bitchfork
May 10th 2010


7581 Comments


ehh...

illmitch
May 10th 2010


5511 Comments

Album Rating: 2.5

bitchfork i like ur avatar its pretty kool

Meatplow
May 10th 2010


5523 Comments


I should really check out Spearhead.

jefflebowski
February 16th 2012


8573 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0

language of violence is a classic song

pissbore
February 8th 2014


12778 Comments


holy shit cant believe this has a review... classic album

Xar
July 22nd 2014


1652 Comments


never heard of this one before.

jefflebowski
July 22nd 2014


8573 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0

one of the first hip hop albums i ever bought



the lyrics verge on cringe-y but the production is great

GhandhiLion
April 26th 2020


17678 Comments

Album Rating: 3.5

yeah but capitalism is kind of cringe





The beats are amazing. Real impressive shit.

GhandhiLion
April 10th 2021


17678 Comments

Album Rating: 3.5

Satanic Reverses and Financial Leprosy are amazing



bump



frigyourgenre
September 23rd 2021


4461 Comments

Album Rating: 3.0

Good album

GhandhiLion
December 18th 2021


17678 Comments

Album Rating: 3.5

Satanic Reverses is soooo good.



Sampling masterclass



haesslichermensch
June 14th 2022


131 Comments

Album Rating: 5.0

Still amazes me that after 30s in this case of the release and the lyrics not that much has changed in the general structure of our societies, it may even be worse



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