good, but nothin' like the real thing
Anyone who has been to a rap concert is familiar with the raw energy and creative atmosphere that fuels those shows. Turntable magician DJ Kool attempts to bottle that scene with "Let Me Clear My Throat," a series of live recordings from some of Kool's shows.
He does a better job at capturing that live sound than one might expect. Kool is highly audience-oriented, and the disc is full of his call-and-response productions. Kool's enthusiasm and wizardry keep the tracks spontaneous even after several listens.
Kool also has an incredibly catchy hook on the title track, and enlists the help of Biz Markie and Doug E. Fresh to punctuate the remix of that song. The problem is that this sound is not conducive to being recorded, and as good as Kool is, you can't help but know with certainty that this is only a shadow of the real thing.