Conceptual, Smooth, Educating, Mind boggling are all words you can use to describe Actual Proof's album The Talented Tenth. The album talented tenth is based upon two leaders of the African American community, Malcolm x and Martin Luther King Jr. The idea of the Talented Tenth was first brought to us by W.E.b Dubois. He wrote a piece of literature for all to see. In the essay he said that in the black community, there are ten percent of blacks who will rise up and lead the rest of the entire black community. Actual Proof took this idea and ran with it, the album is split into two separate parts the Martin side and the Malcolm X side. Actual Proof uses great lyrical techniques and metaphors to pay homage to both the great leaders in both sides of the album.
The album opens up with the song Dream, which is also the first song for the Martin side of the Album. "Socrates of all hypothesis, the talented tenth they pretend we don't exist like ghost in the wind." This is a quote taken from this song which showcases a great metaphor used by the artist and was one of the main points in the essay W.E.B Dubois wrote. He said that the talented tenth of black people are extremely smart and good human beings, but some people pretend like they don't exist. Another stand out song from the Martin side was Peace Zulu ft Halo. "True grit, from the flip now they turned ten into five percent." This was a quote taken from this song, this quote is saying that with true grit some black people were able to take some of the founding ideas of the Talented Tenth and make it into a religion called the five percenters. Probably the most important song on the Martin side of the album is the last song on it which is Talented Tenth. This song offers a synopsis of Martins whole side of the album. "Portions of complex lyrics but keep the rhythm simple." Super Genius the first song on the Malcolm side offers a collaboration with artist such as Kendrick Lamar, Cutlass, and many other artist. This song is the most hard hitting part of the album up to its point, different artist offer there own style on this song which makes it a pretty smooth piece of work. A stand out track from the Malcolm side was Breathe, the song offered a little change up with a faster paced beat but still had witty punch lines such as "fade of the plate put the pinch in them." The final song on the whole album the x factor sums up the whole album with conceptual lyrics and a smooth beat. The producers for this great album were 9th wonder, Khrysis, AMP, Ka$h, and Eric G.
In an age of hip hop were conceptual rappers who actually take time to create an album is at a minimum, it is refreshing to see a rap group who actually did that. Actual Proof could have took the easy route and made a regular album that would have just soothed the radio and its listeners, but no they didn't and for that i tip my hat off to them for making a great album that bothers the mind of people in a good way.
http://www.kevinnottingham.com/2011/01/15/actual-proof-the-talented-tenth/
http://teachingamericanhistory.org/library/index.asp?document=174
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