Catastrophic Event Specialists (Deluxe)

This is fire. How this isn't on everyones playlists in unbelievable.

I can't even describe the emotions I felt with the famished remix. That hit me Man. 13/5 itgoesup

Gotta keep the political talk out of the album. Nobody wants to hear that crap. Really just takes the enjoyment out of listening to the album.

I think this album is one beat in rap right now if not the best ...the are one of the best groups on strange one of there best yet.....

I absolutely love this album. There is so much replay value, the production is great, the features are all great, and the lyrical content is amazing. Definitely give this a listen

I love Ces Cru. Been a fan for years and every album gets better and better.

A rap duo that doesn't get too bogged down in experimentalism, Ces Cru knows that dropping raw is how they entered the mainstream, so they are sure not to dissapoint. That being said, this is the most "refined" album by this group, featuring everything from political interludes to a chorus in "Slave".

The Ces Cru men of Kansas City (Donnie “Godemis” King and Mike “Ubiquitous” Viglione) return with respect and character once again in their sixth LP and third with Strange Music Inc. Entitled Catastrophic Event Specialists, the project brings all the vocal fire the group is famous for plus sociopolitical tones and messages that were less than very prominent on their previous albums but definitely profound and shocking in a good way here. As they’ve always done with excellence, these outstanding backpackers reinforce real hip-hop music and authentic emcee-culture in the look-back in time of “Combustible” and in all other parts through pristine technique. In “Highlander,” they denounce what are implied to be mumble rappers around a scathing yet true statement by Ubiquitous – “Hillary’s a fake and Don Trump’s a fraud.” “Rubble” further tests big money-driven rappers and resets the bar higher with a stellar assist from Rittz. “Tidal Wavy“ speaks on some mainstream artists’ motivation for strictly personal gain as they warn that “living for self and only self you’re prone to die alone” and “you only care about yourself and that’s weak s---.” They confess they don’t have “mad dough, cars [or] designer clothes” but that makes them more than your “average joe.” A light piano interlude opens Act II before Ubiquitous tells of rappers “lacking respect” who are only “after a check” with Godemis describing a mass media hip-hop scene of “actor”-rappers. A furor of frustrated voices from the public in “Purge” builds to “Gridlock,” where topics include victimization of the poor by (some) police, nepotism, government gridlock obviously and the unconcern of “elected” officials who are chosen by the super wealthy. The powerful (or powerless) “Slave” then fully describes the condition of being subservient to power structures, of falling for mind control tricks played by authorities (“head in a cage” as they say). A (inappropriately?) raunchy (and promiscuous?) Tech N9ne and a testy MURS then pave the way for the opening of Act III, another cool jazz cut. With a subject already discussed countless times but still worth revisiting, “Deja Vu” explains how the tightest of relationships can easily become a dizzyingly disorienting separation. They’re letting us know how it is, so we’re prepared when and if we get in that situation. Songstress Mackenzie Nicole, beautifully real and expressive on “Hero,” is positively inspirational with the boys, and “famished ghetto celebrities” and guests Krizz Kaliko, JL, Joey Cool, Info Gates, Kutty Slitz, Trizz and former direct Ces Cru lady-of-rhyme Perseph1 all “hangout” to spit some laid-back, cavalier styles and some raw vicious ones, but never that “same same” dumbed-down garbage. Way to go and good for the two frontmen of Ces for sticking together all these years. Their chemistry is incredible. Memories are made and lessons are learned listening to this disc. With energy and articulation over electric music, Godemis and Ubiquitous have some fun, exercise their tremendous skills and hold sources of extreme power accountable at the same time, with impeccable immaculate flows. The type of hip-hop music these Catastrophic Event Specialists make is not the end-all-be-all of the genre, meaning the backpack way is not the best way hands down period (how would rap innovate if it were?), but Ces Cru always take it back to the essentials with amazing results, as crisp as chips, chips off the old block of their great emcee forefathers.

If this is the first Ces Cru album you've heard... you need to do some soul searching on your definition of "hip hop". They have been in the game for years. Strange music was smart on signing them. I've seen them live too. UNBELIEVABLE. The delivery of these two is mind blowing. There was once more than two members in Ces Cru, did you know that?

You can tell they put some effort into this one. It's not littered with junk featured artists either. All the guest artists are solid and make the album better. Great Album!