This was it. This was the 2000 record which meant that British Hip Hop was a Big Deal. I remember that they had a 5 album deal with the new Wordplay records. Blade: the British Rapper, Mark B: the British Producer. What could go wrong.
Well, nothing, but there's something not quite right about this record. The lightness and bounce in the Task Force production is gone and Mark sets his sights on a heavy Library record based voyage. It's Mark B so it's good but there's something a little plain about the beats. There are many missteps: As a double record, this would have made a fantastic single LP. Building A Rep, for example, is good but should have been left on the cutting room floor. The Unknown, on the contrary, is great - Blade pushing his agenda over UK psych cut up from Mark.
There's a track with Westwood which does nothing. There's a track with Al Tariq which is incredible. It's swings and roundabouts. Overall this record is quite tiring despite being good. I found myself skipping the dull tracks and heading for the good ones.
Mark B and Blade didn't make it. Even with an appearance (via Feeder of all terrible things) on Top of the Pops this was the only album of their 5 album deal:
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