Army Of The Pharaohs - Jedi Mind Tricks Presents The Best Of Army Of The Pharaohs (2016)

Previous Jedi Mind Tricks’ projects could be described as a touch obtuse. Comic book villainy, cemeteries and decapitations aren’t the stuff of lazy Sunday afternoons. But the official debut of Army of the Pharaohs, spearheaded by JMT’s Vinnie Paz, comes off as morbidity with a smile. The underground all-star collaboration includes 7L & Esoteric, Celph Titled, Apathy, Outerspace, Reef The Lost Cauze, Chief Kamachi, Des Devious, Faez One and King Syze. Instead of fantastical yarns about high-tech weaponry, there are meaningful stories about disappointment and broken homes. But The Torture Papers is far from a sentimental journey through the ghetto. The whimsical futurism still abounds, but it is matched with thought-provoking experiences that make this more than a niche record.

AOTP takes the best parts of Wu-Tang and The Weathermen and blends them into a grimy, intellectual soundscape all their own. Avoiding the pitfall of vocal sameness that plagues a number of rap groups, the Pharaohs each step to the mic with unique flow, style and humor. There is no mistaking Vinnie Paz’s fierce growl for Esoteric’s Pun-like drawl. The opening track of The Torture Papers, “Battle Cry,” is a 9-man round robin of relentless rhymes. No hook, no gimmicks, just straight rap. Proudly carrying the weight of classic hip-hop groups past on their shoulders, the Pharaohs do more than pay homage; they innovate. With Vinnie Paz, 7L and Loptimist leaving their stamp on the album’s production, the music broaches otherworldly sounds with the lyrics remaining firmly planted in the here and now.

Celph Titled (the self-proclaimed “Jon B with a deadly weapon”) supplies much of the album’s humor highlights proclaiming on “Pull the Pins Out,” “We keep heist plans in a Trapper Keeper. That’s organized crime.” A gem of a line seeing as how anyone referencing a Trapper Keeper in 2006 is either older than the school itself or (like most of the universe) has seen “Napoleon Dynamite” way too many times. Either is acceptable for modern-day geek cred. With The Torture Papers, Army of the Pharaohs announces itself as a crew not to be messed with producing an album that’s not to be missed.

TRACKLIST

01. Battle Cry (feat. Apathy, King Syze, Crypt the Warchild, Des Devious, Esoteric, Chief Kamachi, Planetary, Celph Titled & Vinnie Paz)
02. Godzilla (feat. Celph Titled, Jus Allah, Apathy, Planetary, King Magnetic & Vinnie Paz)
03. Time to Rock (feat. Celph Titled, Demoz & Vinnie Paz)
04. Bloody Tears (feat. Planetary, Doap Nixon, Demoz & Vinnie Paz)
05. Listen Up (feat. Celph Titled, Esoteric & Crypt the Warchild)
06. Gorillas (feat. Crypt the Warchild, Esoteric, Apathy & Planetary)
07. Frontline (feat. Doap Nixon, Vinnie Paz, Planetary, King Syze & Demoz)
08. Swords Drawn (feat. Chief Kamachi, Demoz, Planetary, Esoteric, Reef The Lost Cauze & Celph Titled)
09. Seven (feat. Planetary, Chief Kamachi, King Syze, Reef The Lost Cauze, Doap Nixon, Demoz, Celph Titled & Vinnie Paz)
10. Contra Mantra (feat. Crypt The Warchild, Esoteric & Celph Titled)
11. Cookin Keys (feat. Doap Nixon, Des Devious, Crypt The Warchild, Demoz, Planetary & Reef The Lost Cauze)
12. Strike Back (feat. Planetary, Demoz, King Syze, Esoteric & Vinnie Paz)
13. King Among Kings (feat. Chief Kamachi, Vinnie Paz, Esoteric & Celph Titled)
14. All Shall Perish (feat. Chief Kamachi, King Syze & Vinnie Paz)
15. The Five Perfect Exertions (feat. Vinnie Paz, Chief Kamachi, Virtuoso, Esoteric & Bahamadia)
16. Into the Arms of Angels (feat. Faez One, Crypt the Warchild & Vinnie Paz)
17. This Is War (feat. 7L, Esoteric, Vinnie Paz, Outerspace & King Syze)
18. Tear It Down (feat. Reef the Lost Cauze, Planetary & Vinnie Paz)
19. Bust Em In (feat. Reef The Lost Cauze, Apathy & Celph Titled)
20. Dump the Clip (feat. Planetary, Esoteric & Celph Titled)
21. Spaz Out (feat. Apathy, King Magnetic, Esoteric & Celph Titled)
22. The Ultimatum (feat. King Magnetic, Des Devious, Reef The Lost Cauze, King Syze, Vinnie Paz, Celph Titled, Planetary, Apathy, Crypt The Warchild & Journalist)
23. Gun Ballad (feat. Chief Kamachi, Demoz, Vinnie Paz & Doap Nixon)
24. The Torture Papers (feat. Celph Titled, Planetary & Apathy)
25. Henry the 8th (feat. Vinnie Paz, Chief Kamachi, Reef the Lost Cauze & Planetary)
26. Agony Fires (feat. Vinnie Paz, Planetary, Celph Titled & Apathy)
27. Wrath of the Gods (feat. Apathy, Esoteric, Planetary & Des Devious)
28. Ripped to Shreds (feat. Celph Titled, Demoz & Vinnie Paz)
29. Narrow Grave (feat. Chief Kamachi, King Syze & Planetary)
30. Hollow Points (feat. Planetary, Demoz, Vinnie Paz & Doap Nixon)
31. Murda Murda (feat. Crypt the Warchild, Des Devious & Celph Titled)
32. Don't Cry (feat. Doap Nixon, Planetary, Demoz & Vinnie Paz)