Survival Skills

Survival Skills
Studio album by KRS-One & Buckshot
Released September 15, 2009
Recorded 2008-2009
Genre Hip hop
Length 58:84
Label Duck Down
Producer Black Milk
Illmind
Havoc
Marco Polo
Moss
DJ Mentplus
Nottz
Khrysis
Coptic
9th Wonder
KRS-One chronology
Maximum Strength
(2008)		 Survival Skills
(2009)		 Back to the L.A.B.
(2010)
Buckshot chronology
The Formula
(2008)		 Survival Skills
(2009)
Singles from Survival Skills
  1. "Robot"
    Released: May 5, 2009
  2. "Survival Skills"
    Released: November 24, 2009

Survival Skills is the collaborative album from MC KRS-One and Buckshot. The album was released on September 15, 2009 on Duck Down Records.[1] It is the 18th album for KRS-One, and the fourth for Buckshot.

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.

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

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
Metacritic(67/100)[2]
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic[3]
DJBooth[4]
Metro Spirit(unfavorable)[5]
Now[6]
The Phoenix[7]
Pitchfork Media(3.9/10)[8]
PopMatters[9]
RapReviews(10/10)[10]
Spin(6/10)[2][11]
XXL[12]

Survival Skills has received positive reviews from critics. On Metacritic, it has a score of 67 out of 100 based on "generally favorable reviews".[2] 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."[13] 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."[14] 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."[15]

Sales

Survival Skills sold around 8,500 copies its first week.

Track listing

No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."Survival Skills" (featuring DJ Revolution) Illmind3:59
2."ROBOT"   Havoc4:06
3."The Way I Live" (featuring Mary J. Blige) Black Milk3:57
4."Clean Up Crew" (featuring Rock of Heltah Skeltah) Illmind3:57
5."Oh Really" (featuring Talib Kweli) Marco Polo3:13
6."Connection" (featuring Smif-n-Wessun) Moss5:23
7."Runnin' Away" (featuring Immortal Technique)Mathers, RosenbergBlack Milk4:40
8."Think of All the Things" (featuring K'naan) DJ Mentplus4:03
9."One Shot" (featuring Pharoahe Monch) Nottz3:46
10."Amazin" (featuring Sean Price & Loudmouf Choir) Khrysis3:47
11."Hear No Evil"   Khrysis3:21
12."Murder 1" (featuring Bounty Killer) Coptic3:59
13."We Made It" (featuring Slug of Atmosphere) Illmind4:25
14."Past * Present * Future" (featuring Melanie Fiona & Naledge of Kidz in the Hall) 9th Wonder4:35

Charts

Chart (2009) Peak
position
scope="row" US Billboard 200[16] 62
scope="row" US Independent Albums (Billboard)[17] 9
scope="row" US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)[18] 19

References

  1. ↑ "KRS-One and Buckshot - Survival Skills Album Press Release". WeLiveThis.com. Retrieved July 10, 2009. External link in |work= (help)
  2. 1 2 3 "Critic Reviews for Survival Skills". Metacritic. Retrieved 2013-08-15.
  3. ↑ Jeffries, David. "Survival Skills - KRS-One". Allmusic. Retrieved 2009-11-22.
  4. ↑ Slavik, Nathan (2009). "KRS-One and Buckshot - Survival Skills". DJBooth. Retrieved 2009-09-17.
  5. ↑
  6. ↑ Rennie, Andrew (September 30 – October 7, 2009). "KRS-One & Buckshot: Survival Skills (Duck Down)". Now. Retrieved 2013-08-15.
  7. ↑ Faraone, Chris (2009-09-22). "Review: KRS-One and Buckshot: Survival Skills". The Phoenix. Retrieved 2009-09-27.
  8. ↑ Breihan, Tom (2009-10-16). "Buckshot / KRS-One: Survival Skills". Pitchfork Media. Retrieved 2013-08-15.
  9. ↑ Huff, Quentin B. (2009-12-04). "KRS-One & Buckshot: Survival Skills". PopMatters. Retrieved 2013-08-15.
  10. ↑ Juon, Steve 'Flash' (2009-09-15). "KRS-One & Buckshot :: Survival Skills :: Duck Down Music". RapReviews. Retrieved 2009-09-18.
  11. ↑ Reeves, Mosi (2009-09-10). "KRS-One & Buckshot, 'Survival Skills' (Duck Down)". Spin. Retrieved 2009-09-18.
  12. ↑ Serwer, Jesse (2009-09-17). "KRS-One & Buckshot: Survival Skills". XXL. Retrieved 2013-08-15.
  13. ↑ Marshall, Patrick (2009-09-16). "“Clean Up Crew” - Review Of KRS-One & Buckshot’s Survival Skills".The Smoking Section. Retrieved on 2009-09-16.
  14. ↑ Christgau, Robert. "CG: RRS-One & Buckshot". RobertChristgau.com. Retrieved 2013-08-15.
  15. ↑ Wood, Mike (2009-10-27). "Album Review: KRS-One and Buckshot - Survival Skills". Prefix Magazine. Retrieved 2013-08-15.
  16. ↑ "KRS-One – Chart history" Billboard 200 for KRS-One.
  17. ↑ "KRS-One – Chart history" Billboard Independent Albums for KRS-One.
  18. ↑ "KRS-One – Chart history" Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums for KRS-One.
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