Blu knows a thing or two about collaborations. However »Live From The End Of The World« is nowhere near as great as the 15 year-old »Below The Heavens« made with Exile. This has less to do with colleague and Pharcyde legend Fatlip. Rather, it is the mass of guest contributions and the lack of album character that spoil the impression. Nevertheless, the project still offers gems, which now – one year after its release – appear for the first time on vinyl in a deluxe edition with two additional tracks. »Scott La Rock, with twenty-one thousand shots to pop cops/hip hop and knock Big Pop’ and Pac,« Blu raps on »Gangsta Rap«. Not only true keepers feel at home here, but also diehards. Flat kick-snare combinations underpin dusty jazz and soul samples. The crackling of vinyl also adds to the atmosphere – after all, everyone should know exactly which recipes are being cooked up here.
However, tracks such as »Hollywood Celebrity« also take the duo out of their comfort zone. Synthy bass, chiptunes and an outrageously catchy verse from vocalist Bilal make this the hit on the record. For the deluxe edition, the original 26 minutes become 32, although »Live From The End Of The World« is still meagre. Fatlip and Blu are joined by 14 other rappers and vocalists, including Ras Kass, MC Eiht, Del The Funky Homosapien and Chali 2na. The quality of the material contributed varies greatly. »Live From The End Of The World« seems like a well-made compilation, but one hardly suitable for showcasing the Fatlip and Blu team.
