Wednesday, February 10, 2016

The Road to Chasing The Devil




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Krayzie Bone fans have been waiting anxiously for the Chasing The Devil album for over 7 years. To be fair, Krayzie Bone didn't leave us completely hanging over that period of time. He continuously teased us along the way with mixtapes.
The first tease was The Fixtape Volume 1: Smoke on This released on April 1, 2008 ....
Followed by
Fixtape Volume 2 Just One Mo Hit came a year later in 2009.
Then
Fixtape Volume 3 Lyrical Paraphernalia dropped in 2010
And then
Fixtape Volume 4: Under The Influence dropped in 2012
And then to really throw us off,
Quickfix: Less Drama More Music dropped in 2013, and that also became the name to his internet radio show.
In 2014 there was a supposed official release date for Chasing The Devil, which then never materialized.
Finally, on Nov 20, 2015 we finally received Chasing The Devil.

Chasing The Devil is the first official solo studio album in 10 years, the last being Gemini: Good vs Evil released in 2005.

Krayzie Bone fans are hoping this is the first of a 3 disc release, although there is no indication on the album cover or in the album content that indicates this is intended to be a 3 disc album.

Krayzie Bone fans are also hoping that this isn't the last Krayzie Bone album as he had indicated in many interviews and press releases.

There are hints that this won't be his last album with song titles like Can't Walk Away.

Can't Walk Away's concept feels like a sequel to "Can't Get Out The Game" which was on The Fixtape Volume 1. The extent of the meaning behind this concept lasting from 2008-2015 is revealed on the skit "Heart 2 Heart" on Chasing The Devil which comes right before Can't Walk Away on the album.

The Chasing The Devil album is a superb concept album which stays on topic from the beginning to end and should be experienced as a whole album, not as individual singles.
I believe this was the album Krayzie Bone wanted to release. As of me writing this, the album is #4 on Amazon for hip hop and rap genre. Ive read many of the fans reactions on the Krayjack Yaboss Facebook and the range of reactions has enhanced my experience of the album. It seems everyone has a different favorite song, which is impressive that no single song has emerged as the consensus best track, although the songs Hold On To Your Soul and Can't Walk Away have a little more recognition than others.
My personal favorites are Can't Walk Away and Send Me An Angel.
I prefer these two songs the most because they match the sound of where I've been hoping Krayzie Bone would be going in the future, less rap, more singing, more music on the instrumentals, you hear guitars and other instruments on Can't Walk Away and Send Me An Angel has some dubstep sound to it, along with real celestial singing vocals on the chorus. As i've said many times, I have over 1000 Krayzie Bone rap songs, I would like some alternative Krayzie Bone songs now with singing, rock, dubstep, r and b, everything but straight rap. He has evolved past the point of just being a rap artist. His talents should be appreciated by a wider audience if he would just take his talents there.

I pre-ordered the cd on amazon and when the album was officially released I received an email that i could listen to the music prior to the cd arriving via the Amazon Music app.

On my 2 hour drive home from work, I listened to the CD straight through, and these were my initial thoughts immediately after listening.

Everyone has had their own idea of what Chasing The Devil should have sounded like, and over 7+ years you want what it is you wanted. it's been nice to see the overwhelming majority of Krayzie Bone fans call this album an instant classic and appreciate what this album is. The more you listen to it and read the reactions of others, the more the album grows on you.

Krayzie Bone is truly one of the most talented rappers of all time, and is for sure the most under-rated rapper of all time Even with two grammy's he is not a household name, and its a shame.
He has been the soundtrack to my life for 20 years.

To the fans that hated the wait, just consider some of the songs we had on the five fixtapes:

So Hard To Let Go
Chasing The Devil
Sweet Jane
Go Hard For My Money
Aint Nothing Changed
Cant Get Out The Game
We Aint Really Living
Maybe Its Me
Let Me Go Let Me Fly
Life! A Lesson To Learn
It Wont Be Long
Explosive
My Perfect
Smile
24/7 The Grinder
Apply The Pressure
Fly Away
Cashin Out

(that's a solid 18 track best of mixtape album that satisfies my taste)
There were other good songs released along the way that never made an album like

Vanilla Lights
Straight Insane
Waiting For Never
Live My Life Wreckless (from I Tried)'
and what seemed to be hundreds of collabos

I really hope full versions of Straight Insane and Waiting For Never make the disk 2 release as well as the song from I Tried.

Thank you for creating this album and finally releasing it Krayzie Bone. The majority of your fans embrace it, we embrace you, we love you, we think you're the best of all time, you are the Grand Daddy of the Midwest, you are a Legend.