How To Cut And Paste Mix Tape Vol.1

This album basically amounts to a master class in DJ technique (an impression that is only strengthened by both the album title and the whimsical "So You Want to Be a DJ"'s fotonovela-style insert illustrations). Luckily, DJ Yoda being who he is, he wears his pedagogical mantle lightly and with lots of humor. Lots and lots of humor, that is, not all of it terribly funny (the adolescently dumb and gross "Stupid Poo" being a prime case in point). Most of it really is pretty funny, though, and in between the John Cleese cameos and the technically impressive "scratch skits" there is also tons of top-notch hip-hop from both the old school and the new, as well as some wrecked-up jazz and a fun reggae interlude. Highlights include Edan's nicely swinging "Mic Manipulator," Ugly Duckling's frantic "Eye on the Gold Chain" and a great mash-up featuring both Dizzy Gillespie and Parliament. The funniest moment is the Ebonics' version of a Delta Airlines commercial. ~ Rick Anderson|