Both Sides of the Brain [PA]

Performer: Del tha Funkee Homosapien
Artist: Casual; El-P; Khaos Unique; A-Plus
Engineer: Vassos; Matt Kelley; Prince Paul
Distributor: Fontana Distribution

Notes: Personnel includes: Del The Funky Homosapien, Casual, El-P, Khaos Unique, A-Plus. Producers include: Del The Funky Homosapien, Prince Paul, Domino, Kasual, Khaos Unique. Personnel: Prince Paul (scratches). Audio Mixers: Vassos; Prince Paul. Recording information: 3030 Studios; Ozone; Paul's Coffee Shop; Studio 7.62. Editor: Matt Kelley. Both Sides of the Brain is Del Tha Funkee Homosapien's fourth album, on which Del makes an effort to show both sides of his personality. For example, on "Proto Culture," Del is joined by Khaos Unique, and the two rap about one of their favorite things -- video games. The listener also gets to see another side of Del on "Jaw Gymnastics," on which Del and Casual team up for a fierce battle rhyme. Throughout the album, Del does the same thing, covering topics from drunk driving and crack addicts to the importance of good hygiene. Besides Casual on "Jaw Gymnastics" and Khaos Unique on "Proto Culture," Del is also joined by El-P on "Offspring" and A-plus on "Stay on Your Toes." Del produced the majority of the album, and even though he hasn't produced much in the past, most of his beats are good. The listener can also hear Del's video game obsession in a lot of the songs he produced, as many contain samples from video games. ~ Dan Gizzi

Rolling Stone (3/30/00, p.68) - 3.5 stars out of 5 - "...he continues to create hardcore yet hallucinogenic soundscapes....Rhyming about everything from THE HOBBIT to Joe Piscopo, he cements his status as rap's staunchly independent lord of the underground - and perhaps the best rapper you've never heard." Alternative Press (5/00, p.84) - 4 out of 5 - "...Del strays from typical hip-hop subject matter to revive a more poetic and personal rap tradition....Chronicling a real artist dealing with some real situations to the best of his very real abilities." CMJ (4/10/00, p.3) - "...Among Del's finest work to date...finding [him] sharpening his trademark delivery and galactic wordplay beyond any rhyme he's penned in the past..." Vibe (4/00, p.177) - "...charts his mothership towards the funk landscape of his cult debut....Del sets his lasers to stun opponents....Backed by kinetic beats that keep his circuits powered, [he] has reinvented the signature '90s Hiero production style...flipping it into complex arrangements..." Melody Maker (5/9/00, p.51) - 3 stars out of 5 - "...a hard-sounding effort..." Rap Pages (6/00, pp.46-7) - "...It's a keeper, one for the permanent collection....experimental-minded Hip-Hop that strikes a decidedly original B-boy stance..."

While Del Tha Funkee Homosapien was first introduced to the world as Ice Cube's cousin, the distinctively voiced Oakland rapper swiftly ducked out of that shadow. Although only 19 at the time of his 1991 debut, I WISH MY BROTHER GEORGE WAS HERE, Del possessed a uniquely mature worldview, whether bemoaning lazy friends, pop rappers, public transportation, or fakers (as on hit single "Mistadobolina"). Though Del's solo career waned somewhat following the harder-edged followup, NO NEED FOR ALARM, he would become a sought-after collaborator, releasing critically lauded, highly eclectic records as a member of Hieroglyphics, Deltron 3030, and Gorillaz. In 2008, Del reemerged solo on the Definitive Jux label with ELEVENTH HOUR, his first new album in eight years.

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