Speech Hoopla CD

Three years in the making, Speech's second album finds the former Arrested Development frontman still working through his roots-centric vision of hip-hop. More Stevie Wonder than Silkk the Shocker, Hoopla incorporates much laid-back session material and even a few live-and-on-stage jam sessions, right in line with hip-hop's growing affection for building songs from the groove up with live musicians. Thankfully, his relaxed rapping style shows little influence from any recent developments in the rap world, and it's always right in line with the material he's performing. It could have been a remarkable comeback record, but Hoopla suffers from several bizarre miscues. Speech remakes the consistently annoying 4 Non Blondes hit "What's Up" for his own track, titled "The Hey Song." To give him credit, Speech rebuilds the song with a female R&B chorus instead of just sampling the original, but that hardly makes it any less grating. The deep grooves and Speech's considerable production skills make for several intriguing tracks ("Movin' On," "Clocks in Sync with Mine," "Our Image"), but Hoopla isn't exactly worthy of celebration. ~ Keith Farley

From Arrested Development;Prev Rel.Were On Capital

Recorded at The Podium, Fayetteville, Georgia. Includes liner notes by Speech.

Personnel includes: Speech (vocals, Wurlitzer & Fender Rhodes pianos, programming, samples); Eddie Stokes (vocals, Fender Rhodes piano); Tommy Jenkins, Nadirah Shakoor, India, Mental Menace, Shakira Sincere, KEV (vocals); Mike Mullis (acoustic guitar); Rick Ward, Fletcher Dozier JR. (guitar); Felix Farrar, Kerren Berz (violin); Larry Flannagan (viola); Spencer Brewer (cello); Bill Cox (harmonica); Roderick Smith, Carl Boyd (saxophone); Kelly Fanning, Eddie Davis (trumpet); Andrew Lane (Wulitzer piano); The Propher (Hammond B-3 organ); Ike "Za" Williams, Neal Wyms (bass); Brian, Rick Morris, Enrique Coley (drums); Nakayo (percussion); Deanna Dawn, Nicha "Wildflower" Thompson, Franqui Hilliard, Kantor Deborah Wright (background vocals).

Engineers include: Speech, Colin Miller, Blake Eiseman.

Rolling Stone (8/19/99, p.118) - 3 stars out of 5 - "...a smart LP that resonates with his beat-conscious lyrics and warm delivery....Speech has a good shot at finally trading his place in the history of alternative rap for a lively career."
Spin (8/99, p.154) - 7 (out of 10) - "...Speech's strategy is to keep the beats simple and sing as sweet as he can....The overall effect is pleasant..."
Rap Pages (9/99, p.175) - "...[Speech] meshes reggae, R&B, Hip-Hop and other rhythms like a good painter vividly mixes color..." - Rating: Ci