Absolute Value (album)
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| Absolute Value | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | February 19, 2008 | |||
| Genre | Hip hop | |||
| Length | 52:07 | |||
| Label | Fat Beats Records | |||
| Producer |
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| Akrobatik chronology | ||||
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| Singles from Absolute Value | ||||
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Absolute Value is the second studio album by Boston rapper Akrobatik.[1] It was released on February 19, 2008 by Fat Beats Records. The album features guest appearances by hip hop artists Talib Kweli, Chuck D, and B-Real, as well as production by 9th Wonder, Illmind, J Dilla, and Da Beatminerz. Despite receiving rave reviews, the album sold about 600 units in its opening week.[2]
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| About.com |   [3] |
| ArtofRhyme.com | [4] |
| AllMusic | [5] |
| DJBooth.net | [6] |
| HipHopDX | [7] |
| HipHopLinguistics.com | [8] |
| The Phoenix | [9] |
| PopMatters |   [10] |
| RapReviews.com | 9/10[11] |
| XLR8R | 7.5/10[12] |
Marisa Brown of AllMusic gave the album 4 stars out of 5, commenting that it "mixes his socially conscious messages and his battle-honed cadence, healthy ego, and energetic production (courtesy here of Illmind, Dilla, J-Zone, and 9th Wonder, among others) into a palatable but intelligent creation that entertains as much as it educates."[5] She added, "Absolute Value has a few requisite tracks -- the melancholy 'Rain,' the sweet 'Back Home to You' -- but it also has a lot of sharp, thoughtful, fun material that knows how to keep the audience moving, both in body and mind."[5] J-23 of HipHopDX gave the album a 4.0 out of 5, saying, "you won't find anything on this album that will have you reaching for the skip button."[7]
Andrew Martin of PopMatters gave the album 7 stars out of 10, calling it "a strong representation of Ak's versatility as an emcee."[10] Max Herman of XLR8R gave the album a 7.5 out of 10, writing, "the MC leaves the greatest impression when he balances his hard-hitting approach with focused subject matter as he does on the Little Brother-assisted 'Be Prepared,' a soulful examination of the rap game."[12]
Track listing
| No. | Title | Producer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "A to the K" (featuring B-Real) | Illmind | 2:52 |
| 2. | "Soul Glo" | Da Beatminerz | 2:38 |
| 3. | "Put Ya Stamp on It" (featuring Talib Kweli) | J Dilla | 3:22 |
| 4. | "Step It Up" | Hezekiah | 3:02 |
| 5. | "Rain" (featuring Brenna Gethers) | Illmind | 3:11 |
| 6. | "Be Prepared" (featuring Little Brother) | 9th Wonder | 3:40 |
| 7. | "Absolute Value" | J-Zone | 2:43 |
| 8. | "Black Hell Breaks Loose" (featuring Willie Evans Jr. and DJ Therapy) | DJ Therapy | 3:36 |
| 9. | "Kindred" (featuring Chuck D and Brenna Gethers) | Illmind | 4:00 |
| 10. | "Front Steps Pt. II (Tough Love)" | Tzarizm | 3:34 |
| 11. | "Beast Mode" (featuring Mr. Lif) | DJ Fakts One | 3:09 |
| 12. | "If We Can't Build" (featuring Bumpy Knuckles) | Illmind | 3:00 |
| 13. | "Ak B. Nimble" |
| 2:55 |
| 14. | "Back Home to You" | DJ Therapy | 6:35 |
| Total length: | 52:07 | ||
