Track Listing
1. Man's Final Frontier
2. Mama's Always on Stage
3. People Everyday
4. Blues Happy
5. Mr. Wendal
6. Children Play With Earth
7. Raining Revolution
8. Fishin' 4 Religion
9. Give a Man a Fish
10. U
11. Eve of Reality
12. Natural
13. Dawn of the Dreads
14. Tennessee
15. Washed Away
16. People Everyday - (Metamorphosis mix)
| Details | | Playing Time: | 57 min. | | Contributing Artists: | Dionne Farris, Ramsey Lewis | | Producer: | Speech | | Distributor: | EMI Music Distribution | | Recording Type: | Studio | | Recording Mode: | Stereo | | SPAR Code: | ADD |
Album Notes
Arrested Development: Speech, Headliner, Aerle Taree, Montsho Eshe, Rasa Don, Baba Oje.
Additional personnel: Dionne Farris, Sister Paulette, Cinque (vocals); Brother Larry (guitar); Larry Jackson (saxophone); Ramsey Lewis (keyboards).
Hip-hop found itself at a crossroads in the early '90s. Its pop dominance was now unquestioned, but in order to progress, the genre needed a stylistic and cultural alternative to the shoot-em-up nihilism and vacuous balladry which threatened to stunt its growth. Enter Arrested Development. With 3 YEARS, 5 MONTHS AND 2 DAYS IN THE LIFE OF..., the group gave hip-hop the intellectual and spiritual shot in the arm which it needed, and in the process, brought the genre to a whole new audience. Turning rap's anger into pride, Arrested Development stressed the beauty and richness of the African and, more specifically, the African-American tradition. Never blindly optimistic, but ever hopeful, 3 YEARS preached self-empowerment and awareness, holding an unflattering mirror up to certain destructive aspects of society.
The album spawned several pop hits, including "Mr. Wendel," a smart, touching portrayal of homelessness. Group leader Speech forgoes the threats and crotch-grabbing so prevalent in rap at the time to espouse positivity and growth in such lessons in humanity as "Tennessee." In the busy, insightful "People Everyday," Speech takes on the narrow-mindedness and violence inherent in his own culture.
Editorial Reviews
Included in Q's list of the 50 Best Albums Of 1992.
Q (01/01/1993)
Ranked #2 in Spin's list of the 20 Best Albums Of The Year - ...true '90s pop anthems--socially progressive and roots-conscious...
Spin (12/01/1992)
Ranked #1 in the Village Voice's list of the 40 Best Albums Of 1992.
Village Voice (03/02/1993)
Ranked #2 in Entertainment Weekly's list of the Top 10 Albums Of 1992 - ...anyone who made even the mighty Public Enemy seem old hat--which Arrested Development did, easily--was clearly onto something...
Entertainment Weekly (01/07/1993)
Highly Recommended - ...a heartland hip hop sound that successfully incorporates both grass-roots folk and hard, urban funk...reveals a hip hop agenda never heretofore so coherently arranged...
Spin (06/01/1992)
...a fresh-sounding debut album... The band's beats actually sound joyful...Arrested Development is perhaps rap's most self-reflective act... - Rating: A+
Entertainment Weekly (05/22/1992)
3 Stars - Good - ...Led by a newspaper columnist, they offer a critical overview of both black and white...When it all comes together, as on the joyfully funky self-help chant of Give A Man A Fish, they're definitely on the right road...
Q (07/01/1992)
...the most inventive rap album of 1992...leaves you feeling that the problems facing America can be solved with conviction and a right-minded spirit...
Stereo Review (01/01/1993)
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