Holy Intellect

by Poor Righteous Teachers

Overview

Holy Intellect was Poor Righteous Teachers' excellent debut, as well as the group's highest-charting release, peaking at number 142 on the Billboard 200. Rhymes reflecting the beliefs of the Five Percent Nation never translated to mass appeal, but the group's inability to become more popular is kind of surprising, given that this album can be enjoyed by any fan of Gang Starr, Main Source, the Jungle Brothers, or A Tribe Called Quest. At the very least, it contains some of the era's most undervalued MCing. Perhaps it was the group's name, neither as tough-sounding as Public Enemy nor as clever as Brand Nubian. Or maybe they just lacked that one big breakout single. Produced mostly by Tony "Tony D" Depula (YZ, Jazzy Jay, King Sun), Holy Intellect contains many examples of late-'80s/early-'90s rap positing brainy lyrics over energizing productions suited for a party. Having a good time and feeding your mind didn't have to be mutually exclusive events. Take "Butt Naked Booty Bless," which, instrumentally, could be used for any old crowd-goading chatter, rather than Wise Intelligent lines like "Lessons are the key to the style I drop/Hip-hop, not miscellaneous rhymes." It is worth noting that three tracks were released as singles that hit the Billboard rap chart: the hard-charging "Holy Intellect," the relaxed "Rock Dis Funky Joint," and the tender "Shakiyla," (which sampled Zapp's "Be Alright" before Big Daddy Kane's "Prince of Darkness" and 2Pac's "Keep Ya Head Up"). [Holy Intellect was also released with three bonus tracks.] ~ Andy Kellman

Product Details

Release Date:	02/05/2019
Label:	Funky Town Grooves
UPC:	5060196469611
Rank:	41787

Tracks

1. Can I Start This?
2. Rock Dis Funky Joint
3. Strictly Ghetto
4. Holy Intellect
5. Shakiyla [Vocal]
6. Time To Say Peace
7. Style Dropped/Lessons Taught
8. Speaking Upon A Blackman
9. So Many Teachers
10. Word From The Wise
11. Butt Naked Booty Bless
12. Poor Righteous Teachers
13. Holy Intellect [Try & Blend It Remix]
14. Holy Intellect [Try & Blend It Instrumental]
15. Rock Dis Funky [On Fire Remix]
16. Rock Dis Funky Joint [On Fire Instrumental]
17. Rock Dis Funky Joint [Midnight Croon]

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Poor Righteous Teachers   Primary Artist

Technical Credits

Bruce Gray   Lyricist,Composer
Morris "B.B." Dickerson   Composer
Alex Henderson   Research,Liner Notes
Thomas Sylvester Allen   Composer
Tony DePula   Composer,Lyricist,Producer
Kevon Glickman   Executive Producer
Tony Calvert   Reissue Producer
Randy Mahon   Interview Coordinator
Eric A. "I.Q." Gray   Composer,Lyricist,Executive Producer
Wallace Create   Package Design
Craig Turnbull   Release Coordinator
Matt Murphy   Production Manager
Charles Miller   Composer
Lee Oskar   Composer
Howard Scott   Composer
Harold Brown   Composer
Tom Zepp   Mixing
Leroy Jordan   Composer
Wise Intelligent   Lyricist,Composer
Poor Righteous Teachers   Executive Producer