Hypocrisy Is the Greatest Luxury

Franti’s lyrics are still relevant today and there are some solid beats to support his iconic spoken vocal style.

But I still find it extremely exhausting sitting through more than an hour of it.
It’s not really bad. It’s just way too much.

Flawless, one of the best hip hop albums I have heard. Flow, lyrics, musical accompaniment, everything is great.
Definitely a new favourite!

Couple of songs I liked okay, and I a bit sad that so much of the social commentary hasn’t changed in 30 years.

But what is it with these hour+ albums? They’re too long unless they’re brilliant and this one isn’t. Probably would been a 3 star if they edited it a bit.

Pales against Public Enemy, would like some harder edged production but the lyrics are strong throughout

I love all of these lyrics. The sampling im not super into but i will take it. Its sad how little translation is required from something that came out in '92 and listening to it in '23.

Really enjoyed this. I was only familiar with "Television, the Drug of the Nation" and have been meaning to listen to the full album for a while now. The lyrics, beats and samples are all great. I'm surprised really that this album doesn't have the popularity of some of its contemporaries. It is quite lyricly dense in some places, so I feel like I'll need to listen too it a few more times to fully absorb them.

The only negatives I would have is that some of the songs are a bit over long, and some are a bit too derivative of Public Enemy. I actually thought I was listening to Chuck D rapping on the title track at first! Other than that though I enjoyed it. It's interesting to hear some of the lyrics and samples discussing cost of living crises and recessions at the time, some of them are exactly the same as sound bites you hear on the news today. I guess its true; the more things change, the more they stay the same.

The very thing that makes this album compelling is also what makes this album one that I'll likely never put on heavy rotation. Its unapologetic intensity is both captivating and exhausting. The elements of hip-hop appeal to your rhythm and soul, while the precisely selected and timed lyrics charge your mind, and the industrial musical palette grind across all of the grains refusing to let your senses relax. That is, until the track 'Music And Politics', which is a jazzy and vibrant guitar jam paired with a self-effacing analysis spoken over the top. The album remains intense, but on a different level, for that one track. Then back to the program.

The album overall is as avant-garde as it is gritty and real. Comparisons to Gil Scott-Heron, Public Enemy, Arrested Development, and industrial aspects of groups Nine Inch Nails, Ministry and White Zombie are all apt, but also only represent pieces of the picture.

Damn this is good. Powerful. Smooth grooves over deep lyrics. It's like Rage Against the Machine if the rage was expressed over smooth grooves with a relaxed rap flow. Seriously impressive album and the first rap album I'm rating a 5 (aside from Rage, which I consider to be more rock/metal anyway). Favorite tracks: pretty much all of them, but standouts are Satanic Reverses, Famous and Dandy (particularly the "flavor of the month" section), Television the drug of the nation, Financial Leprosy, and Water Pistol Man.

Solo conocía "Television, the Drug of the Nation" por ser teloneros en las giras de U2 y Rage against the machine. Pero el disco en general empieza bien con "Satanic Reverses" , "Famous and Dandy (Like Amos and Andy)" y "Television, the Drug of the Nation". Después también estan bien: "Hypocrisy Is the Greatest Luxury", "Everyday Life Has Become a Health Risk" y "Music and Politics". El disco es hip-hop de los 90, fue importante en su momento y como referencia general está bastante bien para mi gusto, pero no creo que sea algo imprescindible para la mayoría de la gente.

I'm sure that this is an essential hip-hop album and it listens to it in 1992 probably was a great thing. 30 years later (!!!), it sounds like a very good hip-hop album, which is also impressive, but not so impressive as it was in the 90s.

Never had heard of this artist but enjoyed the sound. Kind of a tough listen at times because I felt you really had to concentrate on lyrics to get full impact of music. Appreciate it for what it is. 2.5/5

very interesting album. talks about some deep stuff. was pleasantly surprised at how much i liked it

A halfway house between The Clash and Rage Against the Machine, that refocuses hip-hop's anger against the establishment and corporations. Still as relevant today as it was 30 (!?) years ago.

In the vein of Public Enemy. I like the atmospheres created here. Wish this style of social/political protest music was able to catch on more.