Album Review
(written and reviewed back in 10/6/2004 under PINOYRAP.COM)
Title: Dear Critics…
Artist: Ghetto Doggs
Year: 1999
Label: Dongalo Wreckords / Sony Music Entertainment Philippines
By Webmasta
Dear Critics is the third album released from the hardcore pinoy rap group Ghetto Doggs. To me, this is the finest Ghetto Doggs’ album and one of the finest from Dongalo Wreckords. Dear Critics is a big improvement from the first two albums especially the beats and lyrical flow. Another importance of this album is the introduction of some of Dongalo’s latest artists like Kruzzada, Salbakuta and more.
A review of the tracks
There are a total of thirteen tracks in Dear Critics. Twelve are rap tracks while the introductory track is a greeting from Pooch. The tracks are all in tagalog with a little english. Explicit content and strong profanity are in all tracks.
Some of the tracks in Dear Critics dealt with similar subject matter such as hatred especially to socialites, rockers or people into rock or heavy metal music. Some examples are “Ilibing ng Buhay Part II” and “Banda Demonyo Part II” Others are freestyle tracks both about the group’s supremacy and diss tracks towards inexperienced rappers such as in “Babala”, “Bumenta Ka Ba (Di Ba Sikat Ka?)” and “Kumukulong Tubeg”.
A strong aspect on the album are the hardcore, avant garde beats which gave strong support to the group’s lyrical delivery. Tracks with the some real hardcore beats are “My Enemy”, “Patayin ang HipHop”, “Banda Demonyo Part II”, “Wala Na”, “O.W.P.O” and “Psycho” which was used in the Pinoy action film, Askal starring John Regala.
Things that I don’t like in the tracks are some of the beats. They play throughout the whole track with no cuts like the track “Psycho”. Another is there are too many rappers involved. Some tracks have several rappers in one part. Especially those with beats with no cuts, you feel like fast-forwarding to the next track. In track “Bandang Demonyo Part II” there were some edited lyrics which to me pointless. The album is already too explicit to edit.
One of the dopest tracks in the album is “My Enemy”. The track had a nice introduction with Dj. cuts followed with a suspense like setting and hard-core banging beats. The lyrical delivery are ok but still strong for the track. Another dope track is “Wala Na” which featured Anak Ni Bakuko and Dj. Club J, from Tokyo Japan. The beat is avant garde and hardcore which resembles that of an apocalyptic future, or a bizzare science experiment gone mad or some tracks from Nine Inch Nails.
Notable Quotes
“At meron ultimatum ang katulad mong tanga; Pagbanat ni Pooch mamaya patay ka na” “Ang puso mo o kay ganda, ang puso mo mo o kay sarap; ang tangin narandaman ako ay parang nasa ulap”
Ghetto Doggs – Psycho
“Putang ina mo, hindot ka pakingan mo ko; Ako ang tunay na Kain na nag manifesto”
Ghetto Doggs – Wala Na
“Wala kang kasi ipapakita at baka mabuking nila; Na super liit ang titi mo mas malaki pa ang titi ng daga”
Ghetto Doggs – O.W.P.O
Summary
Dear Critics is the most infamous and most explicit of all the Ghetto Doggs albums. In fact, this is the most explicit album ever in pinoy rap or even pinoy music. But despite of that, the tracks are all alive. The group and it’s guest rappers are strong especially on it’s lyrics and flow. Dear Critics is the finest album the group has ever created.
+
- Hardcore avant-garde beats
- Strong lyrical delivery especially from Pooch and Mad Killah (Salbakuta)
- Melodic tracks
–
- Some beats are continious. No cuts
- Same content and subject matter in most tracks
- Too much profanity in all tracks
Favorite track: “Wala Na”
Least favorite track: “Psycho”
Overall Review: 5/5
