Kurious "Majician" (Album Stream)

By his early 20s, Kurious was already an in-demand voice on the mic. His 1994 major label debut album, A Constipated Monkey, is a classic of its style, marked by heavy beats and nimble rhymes that are razor-sharp yet frequently hilarious. Despite being hailed as one of hip-hop’s most compelling lyricists, he didn’t release another solo LP for the rest of that decade, but he continued to be sought after. As he prepares for the release of his new album, Majician -- the nickname his peers blessed him with a generation ago—Kurious is well on his way to establishing the legacy he’s long deserved. The LP, which was executive produced by MF DOOM before his passing, is a mesmerizing blend of technical wizardry and personal introspection. Produced in its entirety by Mono En Stereo, Majician is filled with songs like “Eye of Horus,” which dance on the line between confession and confrontation. “Separation Anxiety” is a personal bloodletting in the form of lyrical exercise; “Par For the Course” makes drum breaks from the early Reagan era sound totally revitalized. With the amount of hard work Kurious put into the writing and recording of this material, he’s removed all ambiguity from the question of whether he can stand as one of the premier MCs of his time. Listen to Majician from Kurious below and hit the tags for more posts...

Kurious & Ro Data "Koncrete Jungle" (Album Stream)

Here's another fine project that got lost in the shuffle for me somehow... Koncrete Jungle by Kurious and Ro Data. If you're not familiar with the Puerto Rican rap legend Kurious Jorge, then you clearly weren't outside in the mid-90s. His album A Constipated Monkey is widely considered a classic with tracks like "Uptown Shit", "I'm Kurious," "Walk Like a Duck" and more. He also played a significant role in some of the late great MF DOOM's projects. Kurious returns sharp as ever in the first project since II back in 2009. Vancouver's Ro Data helps the cause by providing excellent backdrops throughout. Koncrete Jungle was released in December of last year and features Planet Asia, Chong Wizard and Homeboy Sandman. I had the pleasure of meeting Kurious back in the 90s, then again about 10 years ago at two separate events - the last of which was Q-Tip's listening party for The Renaissance at the old Knitting Factory. There's a photo of us in the green room somewhere floating around the internets. Dig into their collaborative LP Koncrete Jungle below...

Kurious "Built To Last" (Mix)

Back with another mix from France's Built To Last radio show, this time paying tribute to Kurious Jorge. The Puerto Rican and Cuban MC released a gem of an album in 1994 entitled A Constipated Monkey. Signed to Columbia Records via Pete Nice and Bobbito's Hoppoh Records imprint, the album is celebrated by underground heads and influenced many artists that came after him. Since the passing of MF Doom, I have noticed a lot more love being shown to Kurious - which is great - as he appeared on 1999's Operation Doomsday. On the label at the same time as Nas was set to drop his debut opus, Illmatic, and The Fugees were touring for Blunted On Reality, maybe Kurious didn't garner that same level of stardom, but no doubt his debut album was an impactful record stylistically, certainly to me. Good peoples, too! Props to Corrado and the whole Built to Last crew for this tribute, dig into the mix and hit the archives below for a lot more of their dope tributes...

Kurious "A Constipated Monkey" (January 18, 1994)

After years of paying dues and building a rep as one of the best freestylers in New York, Kurious finally gets the opportunity to correctly represent with a full-length LP. True hip-hop heads will no doubt remember Kurious from last winter's "Walk Like A Duck," probably one of the most slept on singles in recent memory. This time around Kurious hits the streets with a number of definite underground hits. "Spell It With A J" is a wicked freestyle (packed with clever metaphors and similes) over a fat Beatnuts track. And whether he's hangin' with Psycho Les and holding his crotch 'cause he's "Top Notch" or utilizing a dope Q-Tip sample on "Baby Bust It (featuring the Grim Reaper)," Kurious rocks the mic like a true MC should. There's even a smoothed-out cut, "I'm Kurious," that could get him some daytime radio play. There is even some East Coast/West Coast unity as Oakland's Hieroglyphics crew gets represented by a guest appearance from Casual on "What's The Real." Production-wise, the Beatnuts hang snug and tight (as usual) allowing the lyrical skills to flow over the tracks like water from fountains. But there is also some solid work done by SD50's Pete and Rich and Bosco Money. Rap purists and fans of bugged-out freestyle shouldn't hit the snooze button on this one. - The Source (February, 1994). A slept-on GEM of an LP! Unfortunately it's still not available on streaming platforms, so enjoy this samples mix from VinRican...

Original album review in The Source + Stickers...

Kurious "A Constipated Monkey" Press Kit/Bio

Staring down hip-hop's tiresome faddishness, Pete Nice's Hoppoh Records & Bobbito Garcia's Hit U Off Management offer up the perfect antidote: a new kinda rapper who calls himself Kurious. With "A Constipated Monkey" -- his 12 song debut album -- Kurious embarks on an illuminated journey into the center of his schizoid universe all set to a soundtrack of dope beats and fluid musical snippets courtesy of fellow Latin hip-hop artists, The Beatnuts & Stimulated Dummies. As inquisitive as his cartoon namesake, Kurious trades in reality -- not hardcore gangsta caricatures -- and finds a bizarre universe hidden in the tiny details and humorous mishaps that make up everyday life. His down-to-earth lyrics and slicing rhyming skills have earned Kurious the most precious of rap commodities: respect from the New York hip-hop community from which he sprang. "The key to my whole deal," says Kurious, "is that it's natural, I'm not trying to prove any point. I never brag about having money 'cause I don't have any." But never mind the disclaimer, the main weapon in the Kurious arsenal is his razor-sharp wit. - via Kurious' Hoppah Records promotional press kit. Unappreciated!