Reader Review: Poor Righteous Teachers - New World Order (October 1, 1996)

(Here's something you probably didn't see coming. I know jack and shit about this album. I'm cognizant of the existence of the Poor Righteous Teachers, but I don't have any of their albums, especially not New World Order. So I'll let Andrew, who I couldn't respond to via e-mail, tell it instead. Side note: this is not the same Andrew who runs the Musical Essence blog; as I understand it, Andrew is a pretty common name.)

Poor Righteous Teachers are a trio from New Jersey, home of the Fugees and Redman. They were signed to Profile Records, which also housed Run DMC, Camp Lo & Smoothe Da Hustler. They are supporters of the "white people killed conscious rap" theory, which I kind of agree with, as some of the label's actions were pretty fucking racist: I point to the success of Smoothe Da Hustler as evidence that gangsta rap was pushed onto the masses. (I don't know if I would classify Smoothe Da Hustler as actual 'gangsta rap', but let's see where he takes this.)

Poor Righteous Teachers (made up of Wise Intelligent, Culture Freedom, and Father Shaheed, the latter two providing mostly production and backing vocals on here) were a part of Afro-centric rap's second wave, alongside the Native Tongues (De La Soul, A Tribe Called Quest, the Jungle Brothers, and their various affiliates) & the X-Clan. They also put New Jersey on the map first. That is important to know.

New World Order is their fourth album, following their hypocritical Black Business, which turned its back on cultural reform to instead promote guns and ghettos. I stumbled upon this by mistake: I liked the cover artwork, and with the caliber of featured guests, I figured this wouldn't be a washed up effort. The second emcee, Culture Freedom, steps away from the mic and moves behind the boards for the most part, while Wise Intelligent steps the fuck up.

Let us begin.

1. WHO SHOT THE PRESIDENT? (INTRO)
This is redundant.

2. MISS GHETTO
This was the song that initially grabbed me, as Wise Intelligent creates a heartfelt ode to brothers caught in the ghetto. For some reason, I don't feel this track anymore, but whether you still do is your journey, not mine.

3. WORD IZ LIFE
The single, which still sounds musically pristine.

4. ALLIES (FEAT THE FUGEES)
The Fugees join PRT in ripping Culture Freedom's sick beat, one that Kutmasta Kurt later jacked for Rasco (of Cali Agents). Lauryn Hill really impresses here, outshining Wise's cocky attempt to play host. (I can only assume that Wyclef and Pras were their typical boring pre-The Score selves on here, even though this album came out long after The Score, since Andrew doesn't mention them at all.)

5. NEW WORLD NEWS (INTERLUDE)
...

6. GODS, EARTHS AND 85ERS (FEAT NINE)
Whenever classic hip hop songs are mentioned, this one never comes up in conversation, and I don't understand why. Nine reflects on his chorus with the weary, elderly voice of a man whose career no longer exists.

7. MY THREE WIVES (SHAKYLA PT. III) (FEAT MISS JONES)
This was just awful. This song has no place on New World Order. This makes me mad, since Part II (from Pure Poverty) warmed my heart. This should be abandoned outside in the cold (November) rain.

8. WICKED EVERYTIME
While it is easy to be impressed with the dark beat and Wise Intelligent's flow, his actual lyrics are so dancehall that this track falls over itself pretty quickly. I'm glad that he finally got this out of his system, though.

9. NATO (GLOBAL COPS) (INTERLUDE)
Although I agree with the sentiment, this skit gets boring very quickly.

10. CONSCIOUS STYLE (FEAT KRS ONE)
The rumour runs that KRS was firebranding in New Jersey when Wise Intelligent called out something to the effect of "Why do you talk differently to us then when your talking to white people?". Shit. He must've been a smooth talker to get KRS One to furnish a guest spot and a beat for New World Order. Wise Intelligent takes two verses to completely outshine the Blastmaster.

11. CULTURE FREESTYLES (INTERLUDE)
Not bad: should have been extended into an actual song. It's sad that Culture Freedom's piss-take lyrics could outshine half of rap nowadays. Nonetheless, I agree that he is better suited to choruses.

12. THEY TURNED GANGSTA (FEAT BROTHER J & SLUGGY RANKS)
Pretty fucking addictive, as virtually every element is nice. To my surprise, Brother J (from the X-Clan) decides to call out wack emcees, and he does a great job of it.

13. WE DAT NICE
Yes, they are. Big Daddy Kane lyrics are scratched, Primo-style, on the chorus.

14. HEAR ME OUT (INTERLUDE)
For my money, this interlude is proof that PRT has essentially mastered the art of production on this album. This beat is brilliant, making you forget the bullshit they chat about during this interlude.

15. FO DA LOVE OF DIS
Wise Intelligent's "Getting chocolate milk from your uncle's chocolate cow" is a goofy line that viciously contrasts the rest of this killer of a Portishead-sampling anthem.

16. DREADFUL DAY (FEAT JUNIOR REID)
While I love hip hop's habit of sampling every obscure 1960's song one can find, I think (The Animals cover version of) "House Of The Rising Sun" is too holy to sample, despite the nice work Junior Reid does with the chorus.

17. SISTUH (FEAT TURIYA MASON)
Not bad, but couldn't they have scratched some Monie Love or some other female rapper for the chorus? No?

18. OUTRO
Fin.

FINAL THOUGHTS: New World Order is a slept on album, but I can see why. The skits and filler tracks damage any hope of a cohesive listening experience. This is, of course, irrelevant, as not only are the actual songs brilliant, they sound original enough to be two or three years ahead of their time. Wise Intelligent also sounds relentless behind the mic, stepping it up another level, which is odd, when you consider that he was pretty good just an album ago.

BUY OR BURN? This is pretty hard to come by, considering that it's out of print. I really advise you to be nifty with your credit card and either get this off their website or iTunes. Readers who burn a copy should also make a pact to buy this on sight.

BEST TRACKS: "Gods, Earths And 85ers"; "For Da Love Of Dis"; "Word Iz Life"; "Concious Style"; "Allies”

- Andrew

(Questions? Comments? Concerns? Do you want to see more albums such as this reviewed? Do you want to be the one who reviews these albums? Leave some of your thoughts below.)