In 1982, hip-hop was still something of a cranky toddler poised to make serious noise. Yes, infamous biters The Sugarhill Gang were already on their second album (8th Wonder), breakdancing was catching on in the mainstream (thanks in part to the release of Thriller in November) and bare-knuckle hip-hoppers and breakers alike had anthems in Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five’s “The Message” and Afrika Bambaataa’s “Planet Rock,” respectively. But to put things in perspective, the fledgling MTV network was still favoring Dire Straits and The Go-Gos; hip-hop was still very much in its Downtown phase.

Save a few exceptions (Jigga, Kanye, Eminem), it is no secret that 80’s babies dominate commercial hip-hop these days. The underground is heading that way as well, as hip-hop is, and forever shall be, a youth movement. Middle-grounder Termanology is a respected lyricist and Statik Selektah a producer with ever-increasing demand. Once purely New England phenomena (both hail from the rugged smokestacks of Lawrence, Mass. aka Lawtown), the two have seen their appeal rise nationally after a series of co-signs (Primo chiefly among them), strong mixtapes (Term’s Dilla tribute If Heaven Was A Mile Away, for one) and projects (Term’s Politics As Usual and three sprawling ensemble albums from Statik Selektah).

All that pomp and circumstance aside, this session just doesn’t command the attention of this 70’s baby. Term is a very capable MC with a presence and vocal quality far superior to many of his contemporaries and Statik’s production palate has a very impressive range of shades. However, this is simply not an album that this listener will reach for. Not disposable mind you, as some crews and clans are sure to find some theme music herein but amid some of the banner product this year (one of the best years in music this old-head can recall), this piece just can’t hold a candle.

Some feature-groupies may marvel at the liner notes (Cassidy, Xzibit, Bun-B, M.O.P., Inspectah Deck) but none of these spots either compel or inspire. There are a couple standout beats, including “Thugathon” featuring the tonsil-torrents of M.O.P. and the wistful “Born In ‘82,” but these amount to mere understudies while you’re searching for songs/artists you’d rather hear. Some heads will say this set is worth a spin, this head will not scoff at you if you do, he’ll just say it’s not for him.

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