20/20
by Dilated Peoples
  • Record Label: Capitol
  • Release Date: Feb 21, 2006
Metascore
63

Generally favorable reviews - based on 14 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 6 out of 14
  2. Mixed: 7 out of 14
  3. Negative: 1 out of 14
  1. AllMusic
    60
    While 20/20 might be a shade too unambitious for casual listeners expecting another Expansion Team, DP heads looking to kick back and listen get plenty of pure underground to devour.
  2. Entertainment Weekly
    91
    [A] noncommercial gem. [3 Mar 2006, p.103]
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  3. New Musical Express (NME)
    50
    A not-bad record. [11 Mar 2006, p.43]
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  5. NOW Magazine
    90
    The record is rife with brow-raising darts and the mindblowing beats to match, outstripping the last two Dilated records and threatening the alignment of your neck vertebrae in the process.
  6. PopMatters
    70
    It’s essentially front-loaded, packing its most powerful punch in the first few tracks and then simmering to a lower level of heat.
  7. Prefix Magazine
    60
    Had this been Dilated's second album, I probably would have found it a lot more entertaining. But it's not, and the moments of originality were few.
  8. Q Magazine
    40
    An oddly anonymous disappointment. [Apr 2006, p.113]
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  9. RapReviews.com
    80
    It's safe to say that with "20/20" they've created another album that will serve their core audience well.
  10. Rolling Stone
    60
    Less a great album than a group of scattershot bangers.
  11. Spin
    75
    DJ Babu's soulful, pyrotechnic turntablism straddles the indie-mainstream divide. [Apr 2006, p.91]
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  12. The A.V. Club
    58
    Dilated Peoples' orthodox appeal has always been its aversion to gimmicks and flash, but on this underwhelming album the venerable trio offer little in the way of humor or excitement, either.
  13. The Guardian
    30
    What 20/20 does best is portentousness and the empty brag - essentially male traits that make listening rather like being hectored by the pub bore.
  14. Urb
    60
    Any track... could comfortably fit on any of their previous efforts. [Apr 2006, p.84]
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  15. Vibe
    70
    Despite a few failed revolutionary anthems, DP still has enough verbal ammunition to ignite the mind. [Feb 2006, p.130]
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User Reviews

All reviews »
User Score
7.7

Generally favorable reviews- based on 7 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 5 out of 7
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 7
  3. Negative: 1 out of 7
  1. Noah
    Mar 30, 2006
    8
    This CD is 13 tracks of originality and greatness. I felt like a small child in a candy store, listening to this. There are skits This CD is 13 tracks of originality and greatness. I felt like a small child in a candy store, listening to this. There are skits occasionally after songs of Dr. Greenthumb telling people he's got this new weed called 20/20...Funny stuff. Anyway, the music is classic on here, and everything is on point. Lyrical content is amazing, ill and concious at the same time...Without being corny or cheesy, see they added that real hip hop in there. "Olde English" featuring Defari, is probably the lowest point in the album. It's a nice song, and the chorus is solid, but there's missing elements in the creativity. 'You Can't Run, You Can't Hide' is a catchy one, and I guarantee it'll get stuck in your head. The album is definitely missing something though. Don't get me wrong, it's mos def a solid LP, but I wish I could have seen more conceptual songs here. It's true, rap needed some songs like this, just rhymes n' rhymes n' rhymes, but I'd like to get to know Dilated Peoples on a couple of these. The production on the CD is top notch, including tracks by The Alchemist, DJ Babu, and Evidence, among others. On, 'The One and Only', Dilated Peoples use three minutes and thirty seconds, just showing off DJ Babu's skills. The composition and instruments used in the songs are well chosen aswell. There's no challenging the quality of the music on the LP, none. I reccomend this CD to anyone who enjoys real hip hop, hot beats, and a nice change from the usual 'I got 2389843 in. rims on my Bentley.' The title track, '20/20', is the icing on the cake. "Hindsight is 20/20...Let's toast to the past, but here's to the future, it's time to get this money money, hindsight is 20/20, lets toast to the past, but here's to the future..." Evidence's raw lyrics, clever swagger, and classic delivery, matched with Rakaa's real to life, political, but still ill rhymes, and some of the most amazing producers in the game? Roll that up, light it, and you get 20/20 my friend, and I assure, you'll be hooked.… Full Review »
  2. VincentH.
    Mar 27, 2006
    6
    What happened to Dilated? I mean listen...this is a solid LP. But this album is nowhere near as good as The Platform or Expasion Team. What happened to Dilated? I mean listen...this is a solid LP. But this album is nowhere near as good as The Platform or Expasion Team. It's definitely not as dissapointing as Neighborhood Watch was (which I listened to at most 3 times) but the last half of the album lacks any real memorable tunes I think.… Full Review »
  3. readbetweenthelines
    Mar 14, 2006
    10
    exactly what hiphop needed in this times
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