In the midst of an era that witnessed the emergence of Nasir Jones, Hip-Hop’s prodigal Golden Child; the dominant influence of the Wu-Tang Clan; the life and death of lyrical icon, Notorious B.I.G; and a bottomless pool of underground aptitude; what may have been Hip-Hop’s most talented duo ever, Organized Konfusion, went grossly overlooked. Between 1991 and 1997, OK released three classic albums, all probably most impressive in their ability to be incredibly solitary to one another as well as to their peers. But it was OK’s 1994 masterpiece, Stress: The Extinction Agenda, that stands alone in the annals of Hop history. A timeless gem laced with masterful production and immaculate rhymes, Stress… is universally recognized as one of the genre’s most valued treasures.

With help from young and virtually unknown producers Buckwild (Black Rob – “Whoa!”) and Rockwilder (Jay-Z – “Do It Again”) OK produced a seamless string of aggressive euphonies that serve as the perfect backdrop for a soundtrack that takes you through nearly every human emotion without missing a beat. Despite their nearly flawless production, it’s actually Pharoahe Monch and Prince Poetry’s lyrical excellence that shines through as this album’s amazing crowning achievement. Pharoahe effortlessly flips, bounces and rolls through endless rhymes, styles, vocal tones and cadences with the power and grace of a world class gymnast on every track, putting arguably the greatest delivery Hip-Hop ever heard on full display. Not to be out done, while Pharoahe fluidly shifts gears mid-verse from spitting dangerously threatening bars to crooning beautifully melodic hymns; Prince Po comes with an uncannily consistent razor sharp flow, flawless in it’s display of impeccable clarity, excellent diction and impressive vocabulary.

Stress: The Extinction Agenda, is set off with a dark menacing introduction that instantly lets the audience know that Organized Konfusion are not all style, they have a content heavy message that must be heard, which at the time appeared to be striking a stark contrast to their innovative critically acclaimed self-titled debut.

The introduction is followed by two title tracks, “Stress” and “Extinction Agenda” both giving further details of what their message is and why it’s necessary, while simultaneously laying the foundation for what can be expected for the rest of the album. The former has Pharoahe and Prince trading pugnacious flows detailing their frustrations with everything from record labels and their artists to American consumers and New York City cab drivers, over Buckwild’s bellicose adaptation of Charlie Mingus’ “Mingus Fingus No. 2”; while the latter uses Herbie Hancock’s “Rain Dance” to layout OK’s blueprint to an end to all that is status quo, replacing it with their own new order. On the braggadocios “Bring it On” OK commandingly dares any and every Emcee to challenge them to a battle and Pharoahe Monch makes it plain to all who will listen that the traditional cerebral art of emceeing has officially been broken down and destroyed only to be revised, rebuilt and reinvented by him. Then, for all those who were not yet convinced, both Prince and Pharoahe redefine emcee imagery, in an impressive display of first person storytelling on “Stray Bullet,” where they take on the role of said bullet, vividly taking the listener on a journey of a stray bullet through it’s eyes, giving graphic description to the fear, pain and carnage that lies in it’s path, all over a cleverly chopped sample of Donald Byrd’s beautiful “Wind Parade.” Following this grim tale, the album actually ends on a very positive note, as these two inner-city griots tell us that despite all the anger and frustration this life my bring, “you can’t fall off” in order to make the best of the hand you’ve been dealt you have to keep your head up and just maintain, hence it’s title “Maintain.”

A timeless classic, overflowing with dope beats, innovative rhymes and an amazingly high replay value, Organized Konfusion’s Stress: The Extinction Agenda is a must have for all Hip-Hop fans, from the most well versed veteran to the novice rookie, all can gain immense knowledge of the genre with just a few listens. Three strikes…

--Charles Pressley