MC Shan Albums (3)
What The Critics Say
His best effort sounds downright old-fashioned by now. ~ Dan Heilman, All Music Guide
'Play It Again, Shan'
Release Date 1/1/1989
Tracks 15
Label Cold Chillin'
See Album Tracklist and Review
What The Critics Say
Along with Big Daddy Kane, Biz Markie and Roxanne Shante, MC Shan was one of the rappers who put Cold Chillin' Records on the map. The New Yorker never had a multi-platinum seller, but he was an entertaining and often clever MC whose solid rhyming skills earned him a medium-sized following in the mid- to late '80s (especially on the East Coast). While Play It Again, Shan isn't outstanding, the CD has quite a few strong points, including "It Don't Mean a Thing" (which draws on the Duke Ellington classic), "Death Was Quite a Surprise" (an account of a youth who gets sick of working for minimum wage, becomes a drug dealer and pays with his life) and the anti-drug commentary "Rock Stuff." The only weak offering is "I Want to Thank You," a cliched Latin freestyle tune that aims for the TKA/Stevie B crowd and proves that Shan should stick to rap. ~ Alex Henderson, All Music Guide
'Born to Be Wild'
Release Date 1/1/1988
Tracks 11
Label Cold Chillin'
See Album Tracklist and Review
What The Critics Say
What once might have sounded rebellious seemed tame by contemporary standards on MC Shan's Born to Be Wild. When contrasted with the ranks of gun-toting, confrontational gangsta types, this seemed meek and unassuming by comparison, even though Shan's rhymes were often quite amusing and clever. ~ Ron Wynn, All Music Guide
