Released September 15, 2009 Genre Hip hop Label Duck Down | Recorded 2008-2009 Length 58:84 | |
Producer Black Milk
Illmind
Havoc
Marco Polo
Moss
DJ Mentplus
Nottz
Khrysis
Coptic
9th Wonder | ||
Survival Skills is the collaborative album from MC KRS-One and Buckshot. The album was released on September 15, 2009 on Duck Down Records. It is the 18th album for KRS-One, and the fourth for Buckshot.
Contents
The first single, ROBOT, was released on May 5, 2009. The music video was directed by Todd Angkasuwan and debuted as the New Joint of the Day on 106 & Park on September 4, 2009.
Featured artists
KRS-One & Buckshot have stated that the album will feature Mary J. Blige, Talib Kweli, K'naan, Naledge of Kidz in the Hall, Slug, Smif-n-Wessun, Heltah Skeltah, and Immortal Technique.
Producers include Havoc, 9th Wonder, Black Milk, Marco Polo, Illmind, Khrysis, Coptic, Moss and more
Reception
Survival Skills has received positive reviews from critics. On Metacritic, it has a score of 67 out of 100 based on "generally favorable reviews". Steve Juon of RapReviews gave the album a flawless 10 out of 10, claiming "Buckshot and KRS have achieved something rather remarkable here - an album I can't find a single fault with. There's not a bad beat, there's not a whack rhyme, there's not a collaborator on a track that missed the mark, and the disc itself is neither too short nor too long." A review featured on The Smoking Section states, "...the duo tries to elicit all the things that are wrong about Hip-Hop...proving that the most important Survival Skills are talent and dedication to craft. Up and comers should take notice." In his Consumer Guide, Robert Christgau gave the album a one-star honorable mention (); he also picked its two songs ("Think of All the Things" and "Runnin' Away") and said it was "Basically an old-school mixtape, wiser when it instructs the fathers than when it criticizes the sons." Prefix Magazine gave it a score of seven out of ten and called it "a call to arms, and a poetic, uncompromising one at that."
Sales
Survival Skills sold around 8,500 copies its first week.