Album Details

• Artist: Del Tha Funky Homosapien
• Album: Eleventh Hour
• Label: Def Jux
• Year of Release: 2008
• ME Rating:
• Reviewed by: trismus on 2008-03-12

Media

I’m not sure what I was expecting. I mean, I know what I was expecting: some crazy assed hip-hop. Past that, I must’ve had my expectation bucket overflowing. For when I cracked the opening tracks of Del the Funky Homosapien’s long awaited return to hip-hop Eleventh Hour, I was initially disappointed. It didn’t sound right, like someone had stolen Del’s voice and tried to make a Funky Homosapien album posthumous. But after listening to the album a second time through I realized that it wasn’t Del that failed me, I had failed Del.

I had anticipated a completely different Del, not that you can blame me. It’s been seven years since a true Funky Homosapien album. Since then he’s ventured off and done some absolutely abstract work with Dan the Automator (Deltron) as well as doing some cameo work for the Gorillaz. He was working in uncharted territory, recording his findings, and reporting back to humanity on but sparse occasions. One would assume that the man formerly known as Teren Delvon Jones had grown from Oakland hip-hopper into an intergalactic artist of near nonsense lyricism.

Apparently, that’s not the case.

Eleventh Hour brings it all back. It brings you right back to 1990’s Oakland, for better and for worse. Del’s delivery is obviously more mature than on his debut album I Wish My Brother George Was Here, but the lyrics aren’t nearly as mind blowing as we’ve come to expect. The beats backing him are equally uninspired and the album often sounds like it’s struggling for relevance. The trip down memory lane is great but hip-hop has evolved since the days of Del’s genesis. He should know, he helped the progression come about, which is why one would expect him to pioneer forward instead of playing in the sandbox of his past.

The album isn’t a complete loss. It does have some great tracks (“Situations” and “Hold Your Hand” are some highlights in particular). But if you’re expecting more than a well done 90’s hip-hop revisitation, temper those hopes.

User Reviews and Comments

on 2008-03-20 big brekfest Said:

Yikes. Not good for the man. Like I've said before, though, I think Del's a bit irrelevant when guys like MF Doom are doing what Del started but are sharper MCs.
Not Rated