Blazing Arrow

Blazing Arrow
Studio album by Blackalicious
Released April 30, 2002
Genre Hip hop
Length 74:24
Label MCA Records
Producer Chief Xcel
Questlove
DJ Shadow
Hi-Tek
Ben Harper
Cut Chemist
Blackalicious chronology

Nia
(1999)		 Blazing Arrow
(2002)		 The Craft
(2005)

Blazing Arrow is the second full-length album by Blackalicious, the follow-up to 2000's Nia. It was released on April 30, 2002 on MCA Records.

Track listing

All tracks by Chief Xcel and Gift of Gab

  1. "Introduction: Bow and Fire" – 1:06
    • Vocals by Linda Parker, Susan Bonaparte and Syble Scovell
  2. "Blazing Arrow" – 2:40
  3. "Sky Is Falling" – 2:26
  4. "First In Flight" – 4:32
  5. "Green Light: Now Begin" – 3:12
  6. "4000 Miles" – 4:35
  7. "Nowhere Fast" – 6:41
  8. "Paragraph President" – 5:09
    • Contains interlude "Halfway Home," produced by DJ Shadow
  9. "It's Going Down" – 3:44
    • Featuring Lateef the Truthspeaker and Keke Wyatt
    • Produced by Chief Xcel
    • Co-produced by Hi-Tek
  10. "Make You Feel That Way" – 3:26
    • Trumpet: Anthony Coleman
  11. "Brain Washers" – 6:22
    • Featuring Ben Harper
    • Produced by Chief Xcel, Ben Harper and the Innocent Criminals
    • Bass: Juan Nelson
    • Drums: Leon Lewis Mobley
    • Rhodes, Clavinet: Oliver Charles
    • Contains interlude "Cool Aid Chemistry," with cuts by Cut Chemist
  12. "Chemical Calisthenics" – 3:21
    • Featuring Cut Chemist
    • Produced by Cut Chemist
    • Cuts by Cut Chemist
  13. "Aural Pleasure" – 4:47
    • Featuring Jaguar Wright
    • Saxophone: Jose Espinosa
    • Trumpet: Seth Zwerling
    • Contains interlude "Faith's Fire," featuring Lifesavas, backing vocals by Miho Hatori
  14. "Passion" – 3:54
  15. "Purest Love" – 4:03
    • Bass, Guitar, Piano: Teke Underdue
    • Flute: Karl Denson
    • Horns: Deejan Underdue
    • Backing vocals: Bear and Damu Quarles
  16. "Release (Part 1, 2 & 3)" – 9:26
  17. "Day One" – 4:52
    • Contains interlude "Bow and Fire Outro"

Critical reaction

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source Rating
Allmusic [1]
Blender [2]
HipHopDX.com [3]
IGN (9.6/10)[4]
Pitchfork Media (9.3/10)[5]
PopMatters (favorable)[6]
RapReviews.com (9.5/10)[7]
Rolling Stone [8]
Sputnikmusic (3.5/5)[9]
Stylus Magazine A−[10]

The album was generally received well by critics, with Allmusic writer Steve Huey praising Gift of Gab's performance:[11]

“ In spite of the duo's intellectual bent, the grooves on Blazing Arrow exude a tremendous warmth that's only complemented by the positivity of their messages. And if Gift of Gab wasn't recognized among hip-hop's premier lyricists before, he certainly ought to be now; his raps are jam-packed with internal rhymes, allusions, metaphors, ten-cent words, and amazing tongue-twisting feats of skill. ”

Pitchfork Media was also impressed with the album:[12]

“ He and Xcel have the stage, and all they want to do is share it. It's as if the scope of this album-- the stylistic diversity, the guest artists, the sincere, ecstatic rhymes-- doesn't come from ambition or creativity for its own sake, but out of a need to include everyone they know and everything they see around them. Not since Car Wash has there been such a celebration of diversity and hot fun in the summertime. ”

Credits

Album chart positions

Year Album Chart positions
Billboard 200 Top R&B/Hip Hop Albums
2002 Blazing Arrow #49 #33

References

External links