Don't Sweat the Technique
| Don't Sweat the Technique | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Studio album by Eric B. & Rakim | ||||
| Released | June 23, 1992 | |||
| Genre | East Coast Hip Hop, Jazz rap | |||
| Length | 47:21 | |||
| Label | MCA | |||
| Producer | Eric B. & Rakim | |||
| Eric B. & Rakim chronology | ||||
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| Professional ratings | |
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| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| Allmusic |   |
| Boston Herald | A– |
| Robert Christgau | A– |
| Entertainment Weekly | C+ |
| Orlando Sentinel | |
| Q | |
| Rolling Stone | |
| The Rolling Stone Album Guide | |
| The Source | |
Don't Sweat the Technique is the fourth studio album by American hip hop duo Eric B. & Rakim, released on June 23, 1992, by MCA Records. Their final album as a duo, it was recorded and produced by Eric B. & Rakim at The Hit Factory in New York City. The album builds on the sounds of 1990's Let the Rhythm Hit 'Em, with Rakim sounding more aggressive on Eric B.'s jazzy, soulful production.
The album debuted at number 22 on the Billboard 200 chart in the week of July 11, 1992. It also charted at number nine on Top R&B Albums. The title track was a minor radio hit. "Casualties of War" was also released as a single and contains some of Rakim's most political lyrics. The single "What's on Your Mind" originally appeared on the soundtrack to the 1991 film House Party 2, while "Know the Ledge" first appeared in the film Juice under the title "Juice (Know the Ledge)".
The album features more of Rakim's socially conscious lyrics. "Casualties of War" relates to the Gulf War in which the USA and other nations invaded Iraq. It mentions the concept of post-traumatic stress disorder, and relates to Rakim's Muslim faith. The track "What's Going On" relates to the crack epidemic that plagued New York in the late 1980s and early 1990s, poverty, black on black crime, police brutality, and abortion. The tenth track, "Know the Ledge" (which originally appeared on the soundtrack to the 1992 film Juice), showcases Rakim's storytelling as he shares a first-person narrative of a neighborhood thug and drug dealer who is forced to come to grips with his violent and reckless lifestyle.
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Wikipedia