MC 900 Ft. Jesus

Aligned more with a rap-informed industrial scene that included Consolidated and Meat Beat Manifesto than with rap itself, MC 900 Ft. Jesus did rhyme, but his delivery was closer to Kerouac's beat poetry than the hardcore poetry of KRS-1. Excellent scratching courtesy of DJ Zero complements the eclectic productions that range from the chop-happy jazz of "Truth Is Out of Style" to the techno-goth funk of "Real Black Angel." The affected irony of his delivery can be distracting, but Hell With the Lid Off remains a highly compelling recording, if only for its brash flirtation with so many styles -- techno, funk, cool jazz, house -- and its refusal to settle for any of them. [Nettwerk's 2003 reissue adds a pair of bonus tracks.] ~ Wade Kergan, All Music Guide