Poor Righteous Teachers "New World Order" (The Source, 11/96)

"There's a new set of rules we shall all have to abide by / the non-lyrical shall be terminated," goes the outro line of "Gods, Earth and 85ers." Hollywood might call it Revenge Of The Intelligent. But Poor Righteous Teachers call it the New World Order. Not just a reference to some master plan for world domination, this LP's title also aims for a shift in hip-hop's balance of power, away from the false prophets of gangsta nihilism, back to the knowledge rap that ruled when PRT first stepped on the scene in '90. The centerpiece of this album are the dozens of tightly constructed dope lyrics concocted by MC Wise Intelligent. There are almost too many to quote ... Wise unleashes lyric after lyric attacking ignorance and negativity in both hip-hop, and the overall Black Community." Cont'd...

"Fellow PRT members Father Shaheed and Culture Freedom also offer significant contributions from behind the boards. Culture brings some reggae flavor to the tight verbals kicked on "Some Tachers, Some Refugees," featuring The Fugees ... But no amount of funkiness could overshadow the outstanding performance of Wise. On New World Order, he's harnessed all his lyrical strength to issue a call to arms. Just like De La and Jeru have done this year, he's let it be known that he's fed up. This teacher's lesson: "Hip-hop has become a species in danger / since rappers turned gangsta." - The Source, 11/96 - Audio for "Dreadful Day" above, and full review in The Source available below.

Poor Righteous Teachers "Black Business" (The Source, 10/93)

"After checking PRT's sophomore effort, Pure Poverty, more than a few fans of this Trenton, NJ, outfit were left disappointed, feeling as though the group had failed to live up to the high standards they set on their 1990 debut. But don't worry. On their third release, PRT returns with a strong and versatile showing. Even while they change up the styles, consistency is the key here, as all of the tracks swing with that unmistakable PRT groove - rootsy, funky and just a little off-beat, often reminiscent of "Rock Dis Funky Joint." The crew also rocks hard with the '93 style on standouts like "Nobody Move." "Mi Fresh" and "Here We Go Again," a head-nodding romp driven by a crisp snare track and a simple but deadly acoustic bassline." Check out "Nobody Move" below...

"On the lyrical tip, Wise Intelligent and Culture Freedom come again with the roughneck, ragga-muffin chatting - over strictly hip-hop beats this time - and Wise's crooning silky smooth internal melodies. Despite stiff competition from the Yardies, PRT shows that they can mash it with the best of the dancehall dons and are definitely for real. On the posse cut "Da Rill Shit," even their deejay Father Shaheed catches some wreck. Though fervent members of the Five Percent Nation, the PRT "P"-osse don't hit you over the head with rhetoric, choosing instead to skillfully slip in their messages into such tracks as "Black Business," "Ghetto We Love" and "144K," a song about the 144,000 Blacks from the 12 tribes of Israel who will be saved on Judgment Day. Though rap is their route out of poverty, they maintain the hardcore ghetto mentality that proves they're coming from the roots and thinking long-range." - The Source, October 1993. Full review is available below.