Dopestylevsky

Dopestylevsky is the second studio album by Jewish rapper Eprhyme, released on April 26, 2011 by K Records. It is notable as the label's first hip-hop album in a decade, as K Records is typically known for punk and indie rock. A video for the album's lead single, "Life Sentence", was funded by Kickstarter and released on November 7, 2011.[1]

Dopestylevsky
Studio album by
ReleasedApril 26, 2011 (2011-04-26)
RecordedBrooklyn, New York
Olympia, Washington
Phoenix, Arizona
GenreAlternative hip hop
Length41:36
LabelK
ProducerSmoke M2D6
Eprhyme albums chronology
Waywordwonderwill
(2009)
Dopestylevsky
(2011)
Lost Tapes and Found Sounds: 2006-2012
(2013)
Singles from Dopestylevsky
  1. "Life Sentence"
    Released: November 7, 2011

Reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
PopMatters[2]
Tiny Mix Tapes[3]
Skyscraperpositive[4]
The Forwardpositive[5]

Dopestylevsky received largely positive reviews. Jessica Monk of Tiny Mix Tapes called it "a solid album of consciousness-raising Jewish hip-hop, [although] not an exercise in genre-bending...we can believe the hype, and take it that this well-heeled genre has finally arrived chez K."[3] John Book of Skyscraper magazine said, "Eprhyme is a nice breath of clarity that isn’t the exception to any specific rule, just hip-hop music at its best."[4] Jay Michaelson of The Forward described it as "a more polished and more professional record" than his debut album, containing "less novelty, less preaching, but perhaps more potential to reach a wider audience with a Jewish flavor of hip-hop and rap."[5]

In a negative review, Mike Schiller of PopMatters wrote, "Eprhyme demonstrates an impressive grasp of rhythm and rhyme, but his words are mere sounds that give us something to hold onto; they’re not meaningful, they’re not really about anything, they’re just there...Dopestylevsky is a perfectly pleasant hip-hop album that won’t get on anyone’s nerves [but not] the transcendental experience its author promises, nor does it even begin to live up to the literary figure referenced by its title."[2]

Track listing

No.TitleLength
1."Grind Thoroughly"3:25
2."Life Sentence"4:03
3."Poppasong" (featuring Brad B and Foundation)4:00
4."Blow Up the Block" (featuring DeScribe and Y-Love; prod. Electro Morocco)4:04
5."Elements of Style" (featuring Labtekwon)2:56
6."Smoke Break"2:31
7."Let's Build" (featuring Compost)3:32
8."Notes from the Underground"4:22
9."Lose Your Cool" (featuring AKA)4:21
10."Divine by Design" (featuring Saints of Everyday Failures)3:33
11."Better in the Dark" (featuring Darshan)4:24
Total length:41:36
  • "Blow Up the Block" was previously released in single form by Shemspeed as "Boom Selecta", with an extra verse by Kosha Dillz.

Personnel

References

  1. Chernikoff, Helen (August 23, 2011). "Kickstarting Jewish Culture?". The Jewish Week. Retrieved 7 September 2015.
  2. Schiller, Mike (August 10, 2011). "Eprhyme: Dopestylevsky". PopMatters. Retrieved 7 September 2015.
  3. Monk, Jessica. "Eprhyme - Dopestylevsky". Tiny Mix Tapes. Retrieved 1 September 2015.
  4. Book, John (June 27, 2011). "Eprhyme - Dopestylevsky". Skyscraper. Retrieved 1 September 2015.
  5. Michaelson, Jay (May 2, 2011). "Monday Music: Prime Time for Eprhyme". The Forward. Retrieved 1 September 2015.
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