Terminator X And The Valley Of The Jeep Beets

For hardcore Public Enemy fans, the release of Terminator X's debut solo album, Terminator X & the Valley of the Jeep Beets, in 1991 was a major event. Terminator X, of course, is best-known for his work as Public Enemy's DJ; his cutting and scratching added a lot to five-star albums like Fear of a Black Planet and It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back, and he has a well-deserved reputation for being one of hip-hop's most creative turntable manipulators. When you're talking about great hip-hop DJs, Terminator's name deserves to be mentioned along with the likes of Grandmaster Flash, Jam Master Jay, Cut Creator, and the seminal Kool DJ Herc. Not surprisingly, Public Enemy's influence is quite strong on this album, and yet Terminator X & the Valley of the Jeep Beets is hardly a carbon copy of PE's releases. Public Enemy leader Chuck D has a cameo on "Buck Whylin'," but ultimately this album is about Terminator's skills as a DJ/producer. Various rappers are featured -- including Juvenile Delinquintz, Andreas 13, the Interrogators, and the controversial Sister Souljah -- and the album detours into R&B singing when Section 8 is employed on "No Further." Overall, the raps are decent without being remarkable; most of the rapping isn't on a par with what Chuck D and Flavor Flav gave us on PE gems like "Fight the Power" and "Don't Believe the Hype." Terminator's turntable skills are what, more than anything, make this CD worth the price of admission. Even if a particular rap is merely adequate, Terminator maintains one's attention with his consistently imaginative deejaying. Not perfect but generally enjoyable, Terminator X & the Valley of the Jeep Beets is worth checking out if you're an admirer of his work with Public Enemy. ~ Alex Henderson|