Bayani (album)

Last updated
Bayani
Bayani (Blue Scholars album - cover art).jpg
Studio album by
ReleasedJune 12, 2007 (Nationwide)
RecordedThe New Effenneffe
Seattle, WA (2007)
Genre Alternative hip hop
Length59:43
Label Mass Line Media, Rawkus Records, Duck Down Records (Redux)
Producer Sabzi
Blue Scholars chronology
The Long March EP
(2005)
Bayani
(2007)
Joe Metro EP
(2007)
Alternate album covers
BayaniRedux.jpg
Bayani Redux Cover
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Art of RhymeStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [1]
HipHopDX.comStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svgStar empty.svg [2]
Music For Americafavorable [3]
Okayplayer Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [4]
Pitchfork Media (6.8/10) [5]
JIVE MagazineStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svg [6]
Tiny Mix Tapes Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svgStar empty.svg [7]

Bayani is the second full-length album by alternative hip hop group Blue Scholars. The album was released on the group's own label, Mass Line Media, and Rawkus Records on June 12, 2007, nationwide and has been available for purchase at their shows since May 11.

Contents

The album's title is a Tagalog and Persian word meaning "heroes of the people" and "the Word" respectively. Those specific languages were chosen because the Blue Scholars' two members, Geologic and Sabzi, are Filipino and Persian respectively.

The album is thematically similar to the duo's previous works, with some songs focused on socio-political issues and others showing devotion for the Seattle area. The song "50K Deep" in particular brings both themes together and describes the events of the "Battle of Seattle" in November 1999. The song was the inspiration for an interview featured in Seattle paper The Stranger with Geologic and Against Me! frontwoman Laura Jane Grace, who also wrote a song about the WTO protests titled "Baby, I'm an Anarchist". [8]

A video for the song "Back Home" was produced by Sabzi's brother Zia and released in June 2007. [9]

The duo also released a video for "Joe Metro" in November 2007. [10] It features Geo riding Metro's route 48 around Seattle and walking the city streets. A video blog was posted to YouTube documenting the filming of the video. [11]

Since the original 25,000 copies released through Massline/Rawkus in 2007 are out of print, Blue Scholars re-released this album through Duck Down Records on September 1, 2009. The re-release is called Bayani Redux and includes three bonus songs not on the original release: two from digital EPs and one new song.

Track listing

All lyrics are written by Geologic; all music is composed by Sabzi.

No.TitleLength
1."Baháʼí Healing Prayer"1:10
2."Second Chapter"1:54
3."Opening Salvo"3:14
4."North by Northwest"4:28
5."Ordinary Guys"4:01
6."Still Got Love"6:22
7."Bayani"2:18
8."Loyalty"3:59
9."Fire for the People"5:01
10."Xenophobia"1:50
11."The Distance"2:54
12."Back Home"5:11
13."50K Deep"5:08
14."Morning of America"7:03
15."Joe Metro"5:10
Bayani Redux bonus tracks
No.TitleLength
16."27" (Originally appeared on Butter & Gun$ EP )3:47
17."Southbound" (Originally appeared on Joe Metro EP )2:56
18."The Dawn Song" (New song, ft. Shad )3:01

Personnel

Additional personnel

Related Research Articles

Common Market (hip hop group)

Common Market is an American hip hop duo based in Seattle, Washington, active from 2005 through 2009 and from 2019 to present. Both members, DJ/Producer Sabzi and MC RA Scion, had been active hip hop artists in the Pacific Northwest for three years before they combined their talents in 2005 to form Common Market. Together they have released two albums, three EPs, and have gone on several tours.

Reflection Eternal is an American hip hop duo composed of emcee Talib Kweli and producer Hi-Tek. They released their first album, Train of Thought, in 2000. They have since released a mixtape, The RE: Union, in late December 2009, and their second album Revolutions Per Minute was released May 18, 2010.

<i>Quality</i> (Talib Kweli album) 2002 studio album by Talib Kweli

Quality is the debut studio album by American rapper Talib Kweli. The album was released on November 19, 2002, by Rawkus Records. It received wide critical acclaim and had some commercial appeal from the song "Get By", produced by Kanye West. Kludge magazine included it on their list of best albums of 2002.

<i>The Beautiful Struggle</i> 2004 studio album by Talib Kweli

The Beautiful Struggle is the second studio album by American rapper Talib Kweli. The album was released on September 28, 2004, by Rawkus Records and Geffen Records. The album features guest appearances such as Common, Faith Evans, Anthony Hamilton, Mary J. Blige and John Legend.

Blue Scholars American hip hop duo based in Seattle, Washington

Blue Scholars is an American hip hop duo based in Seattle, Washington, created in 2002 while the members, DJ Sabzi and MC Geologic, were students at University of Washington.

<i>Strong Tower</i> 2005 studio album by Kutless

Strong Tower is a worship album released by the Christian rock group, Kutless and is also their third studio album. An enhanced deluxe edition of this album was released on March 20, 2007 with additional tracks and the "Strong Tower" live music video. The title track of this record, "Strong Tower", was once in the Top 5 on ChristianRock.net. The album peaked at No. 87 on the Billboard 200 and No. 4 on the Billboard Christian Albums. Five years later, in 2010, the album reached the Billboard Catalog Albums chart peaking at No. 39. The album was certified Gold by RIAA in 2009 and is Kutless' best selling album to date. The official music video for "Strong Tower" came out on YouTube in February 27, 2009, included lead singer Jon Micah Sumrall, guitarists James Mead and Nick DePartee, bassist Dave Luetkenhoelter and drummer Jeffrey Gilbert.

<i>Blue Scholars</i> (album) 2004 studio album by Blue Scholars

Blue Scholars is the self-titled debut release by Blue Scholars, a Seattle-based hip-hop duo. It was originally only available in the Seattle area in 2004 before being given a national release in 2005.

Abyssinian Creole is a hip hop duo composed of Khingz and Gabriel Teodros.

Gabriel Teodros

Gabriel Teodros, is a hip hop artist and a member of the groups Abyssinian Creole and CopperWire. He was raised on Beacon Hill, Seattle, Washington. Teodros' music often features socially conscious themes, and he was a catalyst in the surge of dynamic underground rap acts from the Pacific Northwest during the first decade of the 2000s.

Roc Boys (And the Winner Is)...

"Roc Boys ..." is the second single from Jay-Z's tenth studio album, American Gangster. The song is produced by Skyz Muzik, Diddy and two of his producers known as LV and Sean C from his production team, The Hitmen. It features additional vocals by Beyoncé, Kanye West and Cassie. The song samples "Make the Road by Walking" by The Menahan Street Band. On December 11, 2007, Rolling Stone named it the best song of 2007.

<i>Common Market</i> (album) 2005 studio album by Common Market

Common Market is the self-titled debut album from Seattle-based hip-hop duo Common Market consisting of rapper RA Scion and DJ/producer Sabzi. The album was fully produced by Sabzi, who is also a member of another Seattle hip-hop group, Blue Scholars.

Joe Metro EP is the fourth release by Blue Scholars, a hip-hop duo from Seattle, Washington. The EP features numerous remixes and instrumentals of songs from their 2007 album, Bayani, and two new songs, "Southbound" and "Town Talk."

<i>Lovework</i> 2007 studio album by Gabriel Teodros

Lovework, is the critically acclaimed debut Hiphop album by Gabriel Teodros, released February 27, 2007 on MassLine Media.

Mr. J. Medeiros

Jason Christopher Medeiros better known as Mr. J. Medeiros, is an American rapper, record producer, and songwriter. As well as releasing music under the name, Mr. J. Medeiros, he is responsible for forming the Hip Hop group The Procussions, is one half of the Hip Hop/Electronic duo AllttA, and the lead singer of Punk-Rap group thebandknives. He is of Portuguese and Scottish descent. Mr. J. has written music with such artists as 20Syl and French hip hop group Hocus Pocus (group), George "Spanky" McCurdy, Thomas Pridgen, Aaron Spears, Noel Zancanella, Randy Jackson, Marty James, Monte Nueble, Møme, Talib Kweli, Symbolyc One (S1), Illmind, Benny Cassette, and Caravan Palace, among others.

<i>Oof!</i> (EP) 2009 EP by Blue Scholars

OOF! EP is the sixth release by Blue Scholars. It is also their fourth EP and second EP available in hard copy format. It was released on August 25, 2009.

Macklemore American rapper from Washington

Benjamin Hammond Haggerty, known by his stage name Macklemore, is an American rapper and songwriter. A native of Seattle, Washington, he has collaborated with producer Ryan Lewis as the duo Macklemore & Ryan Lewis. His releases to date include one mixtape, three EPs, and four albums.

<i>Cinemetropolis</i> 2011 studio album by Blue Scholars

Cinemetropolis is the third full-length album by Seattle alternative hip hop group Blue Scholars. The album was released on June 14, 2011, with a pre-release to fans in mid-May.

Pharoahe Monch

Troy Donald Jamerson, better known by his stage name Pharoahe Monch, is an American rapper from South Jamaica, Queens, New York. He is known for his complex lyrics, intricate delivery, and internal and multisyllabic rhyme schemes.

Sabzi (musician)

Alexei Saba Mohajerjasbi, better known by his stage name Sabzi, is a hip hop producer and DJ from Seattle, Washington, who is currently based in Los Angeles, California. He is a founding member of indie hip hop groups Blue Scholars, Common Market and Made In Heights.

"Almeda" is a song by American singer Solange. It is the ninth track from her fourth studio album, When I Get Home. It features an appearance by American rapper Playboi Carti. The song's title is a reference to Almeda, an area of Knowles' home-town of Houston, Texas. The song was written by Solange Knowles, The-Dream and Playboi Carti and produced by Knowles, Pharrell Williams, John Carroll Kirby and Nicholas Cobey. The song also serves as the vocal debut for record producer Metro Boomin, who provides additional vocals.

References

  1. Art of Rhyme Review Archived September 27, 2007, at the Wayback Machine
  2. HipHopDX.com Review
  3. Music For America Review
  4. Okayplayer Review Archived December 13, 2007, at the Wayback Machine
  5. Pitchfork Media Review Archived June 7, 2007, at the Wayback Machine
  6. JIVE Magazine Review
  7. Tiny Mix Tapes Review Archived October 6, 2007, at the Wayback Machine
  8. "War Without Bloodshed". The Stranger. July 2007.
  9. "Back Home" music video on YouTube. Last viewed August 2007.
  10. "Joe Metro" video. Archived November 20, 2007, at the Wayback Machine MTVu.com. Last accessed November 19, 2007.
  11. "Joe Metro" video blog on YouTube. Last accessed October 19, 2007.