Hard Knocks - School of Hard Knocks
posted on Sep 20, 2005Hard Knocks - Thoughts Of A Negro (Link Expired)
Hard Knocks
School of Hard Knocks
Wild Pitch, 1992
Like so many crews, the Hard Knocks (emcee Hardhead and deejay Stoneface) were doomed by their satanic contract on Wild Pitch Records to drop a solid but virtually unheard LP, in this case School of Hard Knocks. Although Wild Pitch’s infamous history of mismanagement and strict adherence to Industry Rule # 4,080 is duly noted, one should not hastily assume that the Hard Knocks’ nosedive into ultra-obscurity is entirely attributable to show biz woes. Rapper Hardhead delivers respectable, sincere poetry but his voice is monotonous and his flow is so stilted that it becomes difficult to evaluate the lyrics on their own merit.
Furthermore, apart from such incisive, cerebral cuts as “Blow to the Head,” and “Thoughts of a Negro,” Hardhead ain’t saying anything new. His neurotic fixation on crooked cops, the explicit topic of at least four tracks that is continually referenced throughout the rest of the record, manages to wear thin rather quickly. While many of the beats are hyper, happy, and danceable Hardhead’s steez just screams anti-sociality; his smoker’s baritone conjures the picture of an embittered old man trying to kick the truth to the young Black youth. This is not a bad thing in and of itself, but it doesn’t help matters that many of the backing tracks are frozen in a 1988 tempo and sound. Although the samples are crystal clear, highly original, and extremely dope, the record feels dated today, and I suspect that it may have come off as such back in ‘92 as well.
Musically, the Hard Knocks are indebted to DJ Mark the 45 King’s indelible horns and Marley Marl’s powerful snares. Their lyrical influences include Rakim and Chuck D, whose timely vocals are respectfully cut into the mix. In theory, this record should exceed, at least occasionally, the sum of its parts. Sadly, it usually falls quite short of that standard, but it is worthy of a forgiving listen if only for “Blow To the Head,” the absolute epitome of a slept-on gem.
Comments for "Hard Knocks - School of Hard Knocks"
— t-milian Nov 27, 06:20 AM
hardhead sounds alot like guru.
— noixe Dec 30, 01:20 AM
Man, you seriously underated this album. I don’t think I could find anyone in my circle who doesn’t value thier copy. Whenever I play tracks off this out, someone will always come up & comment about it. A rarity.
I’m still to find a 12” of ‘Dirty Cop Named Harry’...
— Idiotproof Jan 5, 12:18 PM
word to the comments previous. It’s a really good album that I still frequently check. And I found it completely by accident one day. In fact I’m going to bang it again for the studio.
— George Aye Jan 11, 08:27 PM
Spot on george and Idiotproof. This is a classic and still sounds ruff today. RHS you must have ridiculously high standards mate – what floats your boat then!? It’s probably worth remembering if it was released in 92 on Wild Pitch it could’ve been recorded years b4. Totally disagree with your bizarre review.
— blackbeltjonez Jan 16, 01:44 PM
Wow, imagine if I had actually given this record a negative review!
— R.H.S. Jan 17, 01:55 AM
man, that’s ish is classic
cousin R.H.S. didn’t catch (or understand??) the vibe of the early 90’s
— peleliu Feb 3, 05:36 PM
i represented hard knocks when they were with wild pitch. totally crazy. and hard head and guru were good friends. however where is hard head today. he left bronx for atlanta years ago. respond
— dave britton Jul 11, 10:09 AM
What the…..this IS the ULTIMATE HIP HOP LP of all time…...
— Redeye Jul 17, 01:55 PM
Artist: Hard Knocks
Album: School of Hard Knocks
Song: Thoughts of a Negro
Typed by: jostmatt@bluewin.ch (with help from liner notes)
(...problem with ‘negro’ was not the word itself
It was that a stereotype had been attached
to that word ‘negro’
and that people were forced to live in accords to that stereotype)
Stereotype me, dislike me or fight me
My hustle is hip-hop, you can’t indict me
Behind the light of intelligence
Critics will probably say the title’s irrelevant
But the powerful fail to see the battle being fought
Wise words verbally put forth from negro thoughts
It’s critical, the news programs of pitiful
Sights and sounds of a negro’s background
First fired, last hired
Granny picked cotton till she died, what a way to retire
Watermelon’s sellin but the seeds are black
I don’t spit em out, I plant em so they come back
Music of soul cause my lyrics are funky
You stereotype we’re the offspring of monkeys
I tie ya up and gag ya mouth with cornbread
And lead ya the bright way, seems ya been mislead
I enter the store on one thought – to purchase
They follow me around like a muthafuckin hostess
I see what I want, but before I can step to
They’re up in my face, “Sir, can I help you?”
Out of step they seem to be with reality
Needless to say I represent a nationality
That’s been linked to a Kodak
Once truth is exposed, negatives can’t be kept back
Couldn’t take us for what we has, took us for what we had
KKK – 3 kicks up the ass
All anti-negros ground is sinking sand
Painting false and visionary pictures
Revolting language bound to mentally hitcha
Stand still while I’m talkin
From abstract thoughts fingers completed the walkin
These are
Thoughts of a Negro
(Wonder, wonder)
(Blinkin I’m thinkin)
Alone on the corner, awaiting a red light
A van pulls up, the passengers are white
My feet’s in progress, are my ears deceivin me?
I pause and down came the locks on the doors
A typical stereotypical outlook
How could a man’s color betray him as a crook?
I’m on Amtrak, enroute to Atlanta
In first row, drinkin a grape Fanta
Dressed to impress and I’m a walkin jewelry store
I’m gettin lynchin looks from the conductor
Sweatin my jewels but it’s cool
He’s not the first or the last to
Learn first class was made for a black ass
Fuck the back, it’s ’91, jack
Another thought I render to be evident
Would I be treated equally if we had a black president?
In this race everyday’s suspense
From death to seein infants born as chemical dependents
Skillfully prepared for a ignorant war
But all I encounter I express through metaphors
Like ‘nigga’, ‘black’, ‘negro’
3 five letter words to describe me, bro
Even excepting we make good athletes
And in bed knowin no other culture can compete
So let’s get right down to it
Those who now accept it always knew it
These are
Thoughts of a Negro
(Wonder, wonder)
(Blinkin I’m thinkin)
I try to make it hard for them to hate me
Alienate me, you still gotta face me
But I ain’t the stereotype
Understand what I’m sayin or do all niggas sound alike?
Rap’s the trade so it’s made to live good
My neighbor’s kids are sayin, “There goes the neighborhood”
And their dog comes in my yard and takes a shit
Then barks like tellin me, “Clean it”
But I made em all believers
Hit their daughters with a dose of this jungle fever
It was undercover but her parents discovered
Turned her out, now forever she’s a nigger lover
I never feed into the stuff about the other man
Cause my destiny is planned around a mic stand
At the table of brotherhood I sit
Calling preachers, wisemen and prophets
To unravel the riddle of our existence
Domestic relations and those of distance
I’m hearin the same statements I feel are prejudiced
One day blacks will rise on their side of the fence
Stories still spread through history books in groups
Tampering with truth, telling tales of twisted roots
Stereotypes living lives of illusions
Leapin to their death, jumping to confusions
I see what I’m faced with, racist congregations
Lord be merciful to a helpless nation
These are
Thoughts of a Negro
(Wonder, wonder)
(Blinkin I’m thinkin)
— DJ Flash Jul 18, 04:57 AM
best Rap Album ever cunts!
— Seko Jul 24, 05:09 PM
nuff respect – suckers
kinda bullshit rhs’ review!!
te rocks the house!
greetings to don hanso!
— tee eee Aug 1, 05:05 PM
Weak review for an overall stellar LP. We’ve heard what Hardhead is sayin’ before, but not with that delivery or cleverness. The beats are timeless and hardly anything being put out today sounds this fresh.
— rekso Nov 4, 10:28 PM
Fucking Classic Record. Thoughts of a Negro, Ghetto Love & Young Black Male are 3 of my all time favorite hip-hop songs. Hardhead was a helluva a rapper with a voice that was like a cross between Rakim & Guru with a tight laid back monotone style, flexible & confident flow & intelligent, thoughtful, uplifting, ironic & sometimes humorous lyrics. The Spearchuckers were a helluva production team as well-sample heavy, dense, melodic, rhythmic, hard beats & nice turntable work as well. Don’t sleep. The dude who wrote this review obviously never missed the bus for school & had to walk in the snow in the middle of winter while rockin’ this cassette in his walkman headphones to help keep his mind off of his soaked & freezing toes back in 1991. I feel sorry for you son, that you can’t feel the realness & authenticity of this album & relive the irreplaceable moment in hip-hop’s glory days that it so perfectly sonically (sp?) & spiritually encapsulated. If you can find or have this joint please let me know-I really need a copy or at least a download. ($)
Zacreole@gmail.com
— zacreole Feb 15, 01:46 AM
To rekso:
Man im spanish and im still flipin with this LP, for me, one of the best.
If u still need this album i can help u if u having problems to get it.
ironmic99@hotmail.com
yo man its so cool find people who still love real and original hip hop…more in this times
— ironmic Feb 21, 02:50 PM
Yeah that review is totally off. That album is classic and if it dropped today it would still hold up.
— mysterio Mar 7, 12:20 AM
dope record its ones view inside the box!
— sciety1 Mar 22, 04:15 PM
THIS LP IS ONE OF THE BEST RAP ALBUMS EVER. A TRUE HIP HOP CLASSIC. I HAVE LISTENED IT THOUSAND TIMES AND I STILL LOVE IT.
— Hemlock Apr 3, 09:08 AM
this reviewer does not know his hip hop… i bought this album on its release in 92 and it was dope then and still holds up now… its a piece of classic vinyl that has stood the test of time and for people who knew hip hop in the late 80s and early 90s this was a seriously well respected album…
— meone Apr 5, 12:37 PM
Also he should stop with the big words.
— Rafi Apr 6, 12:12 AM
...and he obviously has a small dick and bad breath…
— Dj Fab Aug 9, 04:04 AM
Are you out of your freakin mind ?!
I love that EP and i thank god that i have it on vinyl !!! Does anyone know if they released anything else besides that ep…? And finally, you can put that record on to this day, and it still kicks ass.. ¨better than most hip hop today if you ask me. Later :-)
— Pennywise Aug 10, 08:48 AM
Greetings from France !
This album is fucking dope ! Great funky jazz samples ! Good laid back rhymes !
RHS is wack !
— Bullshit Aug 11, 09:19 AM
anyone knows where i can buy this online???? i lost it back i 1993 and been looking ever since…
— mikkel Sep 23, 08:20 AM
well, i dont consider someone that sounds like they wernt even from that era as a good judge of any hip hop from that time, how could you review something you know absolutly nothing about, this is one of the dopest and i agree with slept on gems ever!!! this album was phenomenal, the guys monotone voice??? come on u must be afraid of the black mans voice!!! and how u gonna say 1988-89??? do u know what was around in 88-89??? lol jokah, dont right reviews if u dont know what your talking about. as this album was dope all round production, lyrically, delivery and most importantly not heard before content. im shocked that anyone pays you to do this or maybe its a plan to get some talk on the subject, controversy. any ways do your homework properly next time and fix up, this is a mighty big statement to make of one of the greatest albums to ever bless our culture.
peace and blessings and guidance
monks
— monkdawg Oct 27, 06:48 PM
Alright, I’ve taken enough abuse for this review – fuck each and every one of you who disagrees with me. You’re a bunch of marginally literate douchebags.
— R.H.S. Oct 27, 06:51 PM
One of the best Jazz Rap albums of all time and stood out back then too. Disagree with the review, but we’re all allowed our point of view…
— Pugsy Jul 23, 05:21 AM
I was only 14 when I^ve heard that album, I live in Italy, and I often ask myself “how the fuck this obscure underground lp arrived in that little store in Milano???”, now I feel lucky, that album is still one of my favourites of that period!!!
— michel Oct 2, 01:32 PM
Almost everyone here confuses serious music reviews with “what sounds good to me”. RHS was overcritical, but this album is by far the “best”. Some of the tracks are embarassing. The way “real niggas” should act, in “Nigga for Hire”, just reemphasizes everything he seems to be complaining about in ToAN: “Real” black people shouldn’t read or talk about books, “real” black women, do deserve a “real nigga’s erection”, aren’t aren’t “proper”, just bitches to be objectified — the same old crap we’ve heard before. It’s a decent review for an underrated album with good stuff on it.
— yo Oct 16, 04:02 AM
im back from exile so now lets see what your mothers review will be on the next album cause she will be replacing your ass on this new one.
— ali strange Dec 12, 10:16 AM
i just listened to this album for the first time. seems to me that the reviewer is talking absolute SMACK!
— wood_panels Dec 18, 02:34 PM
Hey, when we were doing the album, I thought musically and lyrically we were pushing the envelope. What hardhead meant and not what he said word for word was very relevant at the time. It was how he felt. I was very disappointed because there was no real feedback due to all the label problems. I am proud to see our work is appreciated and has been called “classic” by so many. There is relevance to what we did as it is still discussed and commented on today, and for that I thank all of you and your comments, good or bad.
— James "J1" Miller Dec 25, 12:03 AM
I got this on cassette back in 93. It was in a second hand bin at a record store in California.
It fucking blew me away and I listened to it day after day. It still sounds great!
— Jack Jan 4, 12:22 AM
Dated? NEVER! To me this is one of the best hip hop albums ever made. Definitely Top 10. I’m very glad to have the original pressing of this record in my collection.
— Kensaro Jan 15, 07:26 PM
I just hung out with Hardhead last night in Atlanta. Dude is still dope. We are trying to find out who owns the masters. Anyone know?
— Tino Panama Jan 19, 12:14 PM
Best album ever. Have the vinyl copy and cd.
I used to play it at the beach on a selfrecorded tape in the boombox. I thought is was the onlyone back then in holland who knew about this.
And up to today.. No one(exept for this site) heard about it.
After 24 years of hiphop experience.. This is my number one album!!
I love to record some tracks with hardhead nowadays.. Just to get that feeling of real hiphop back.
— P-Trikz Mar 20, 09:21 PM
Bought it in the ninetees when it just came out.
Straight up classic and the reviewer talks trash!
— Makz Mar 25, 08:52 AM
The reviewer is way the fuck off on this 1,my homeboy turned me on to this album back in 92 & been loving it ever since,shittt it’s only so many subjects 1 can write about anyway.
I’m rockin Hands Of A Stranger on my IPod right now!
— Jboogie Apr 12, 12:40 PM
This is A Classic!!!
— borgoebeats May 28, 01:20 PM
Big album, thanks for your text!
The drumm of “Blow To The Head” is Funky Drummer of James Brown but what the jazzy loop on this track ?What the sample? Please if sombody now ???
Big Up
— Jojo V. May 31, 08:28 PM