PARIS >> SLEEPING WITH THE ENEMY
SLEEPING WITH THE ENEMY
THE DELUXE EDITION
BUY IT
Originally slated for a pre-presidential election release in 1992, this sophomore effort by Paris was intentionally suppressed by the recording establishment until after the election in November of that year. It caused a firestorm of controversy with two songs in particular, "Bush Killa," a revenge fantasy about the assasination of then-president George Bush (Sr.) for neglect of poor conditions in oppressed communities nationwide, and, "Coffee, Donuts & Death," a cop-killing tirade intended to vent frustration at corrupt officers who rape, brutalize and kill black people at will. A precursor to the L.A. uprisings, the project was eventually released on Paris’ own Scarface Records after Time Warner shareholders and media pressure prevented then Warner-subsidiary Tommy Boy Records from releasing the project. Unapologetic in its defense of free speech and oppressed communities everywhere, Sleeping with the Enemy further upped the ante for lyrical content and cemented Paris’ place as one of the most introspective poets in rap.
Back in limited release, this sophomore effort from Paris is one of the rawest socially-conscious hip-hop albums ever. This definitive edition has been digitally enhanced and reworked, and has provided the artist the rare opportunity to improve on the initial release by benefiting from advancements in technology previously unavailable. Also contains rare alternate versions.
"Sounds explosive as all the controversy may suggest, partly because it is so relentless in its fearless rage...you'll love the way the album shifts and changes, ducks and punches...no one sounds as menacing as Paris once he settles into the groove...incredibly dope."
- The Source
"If the first record was a radical manifesto, the follow-up is the vivid white and orange explosion of a Molotov cocktail...brilliant..."
- Spin
"A challenging album which is musically diverse and lyrically cutthroat...Sleeping with the Enemy must be heard!"
- Urb
"Weighted with flowing grooves and some of the smoothest rhymes around...the music functions as no-passive-resistance politics and great rap music."
- Billboard
"Fierce, funky and often brutal...works as both polemic and slamming hip-hop."
- People
"Bold...intelligent...a dazzling rapper, spewing out his acidic lyrics at a jagged pace, backed by driving jazz/funk beats...his messages are jolting because he's so skilled at creating stark, unsettling dramas filled with blasts of rage that are occasionally tempered by waves of melancholy...a piece of riveting melodrama."
- L.A. Times
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