Special Ed - Youngest in Charge (Expanded Edition) '1989

Tracks list

In 1989, at the tender age of 16, Brooklynite Special Ed burst on the scene with
enough talent and swagger to stake his claim among hip-hop's big boys. For
Special Ed, MC stands for master of cleverness, and Youngest in Charge is
replete with it. The gifted manchild boasts a versatile repertoire, using
various lyrical styles and rhymes spiked with punchlines and metaphors that
indicate wisdom beyond his 16 years. The meat of the album lies in its first
three tracks. The opening cut, "Taxing," is Ed's coming-out party as he kicks
entertaining verses over a slickly produced, squealing guitar-riff-laced track
produced by Howie Tee. The following track is a masterpiece, Ed's claim to
hip-hop immortality, "I Got It Made." It's four-plus minutes of artful
arrogance, an instant hip-hop classic and anthem for all precocious
hip-hop-heads of the era. To round out the trio comes "I'm the Magnificent," a
continuation of Ed's bragging rights over a sample from "Shantytown" (off Jimmy
Cliff's The Harder They Come soundtrack). Because the first three tracks are so
stellar, the rest of the album seems to be something of an afterthought;
however, the remainder of the album does contain a few jewels. "The Bush," Ed's
ode to his stomping grounds of Flatbush, features a sample of Al Green's "Love
and Happiness," while "Think About It" is Ed's warning to those who wish to test
his supremacy on the mic. On "Heds and Dreds," Ed flips a dancehall cadence to
show his West Indian heritage. Youngest in Charge is a delightful release from a
young hip-hop pioneer, a demonstration of the Edenic age of hip-hop when
youthful exuberance and expression were highly valued. ~ M.F. DiBella

Tracklist:
1.01 - Special Ed - Taxing (4:05)
1.02 - Special Ed - I Got It Made (3:42)
1.03 - Special Ed - I'm the Magnificent (4:31)
1.04 - Special Ed - Club Scene (6:16)
1.05 - Special Ed - Hoedown (4:42)
1.06 - Special Ed - Think About It (4:26)
1.07 - Special Ed - Ak-shun (3:46)
1.08 - Special Ed - Monster Jam (4:55)
1.09 - Special Ed - The Bush (3:51)
1.10 - Special Ed - Fly M.C. (2:29)
1.11 - Special Ed - Heds and Dreds (2:54)
1.12 - Special Ed - I Got It Made (4:01)
1.13 - Special Ed - Think About It (5:26)
1.14 - Special Ed - Ready 2 Attack (3:36)
1.15 - Special Ed - Club Scene (5:31)
1.16 - Special Ed - I'm the Magnificent (4:12)
1.17 - Special Ed - I Got It Made (3:21)
1.18 - Special Ed - One In A Million (1:20)

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