Artist: Del Tha Funkee HomosapienTitle: The 11th Hour (DVD)Rating: 3 1/2 StarsReviewed by: Kathy Iandoli
After over a decade and a half of weirdly going where most MC’s have never gone before, Del Tha Funkee Homosapien is paid semi-proper homage in the documentary, soon-to-be album, The 11th Hour (Hiero Imperium). Del first dipped his toe into the proverbial pool of Hip-Hop at the onset of the 90’s with I Wish My Brother George Was Here. With some help from his cousin Ice Cube, Del delivered strangely charming antics on
hits like “Mistadobalina” and “Dr. Bombay”.
Del’s third eye then saw him help bring the his crew known as Hieroglyphics to the world, collectively establishing themselves as one of the architects of Bay Area Hip-Hop for the mid-to-latter part of the 90’s into the
new millennium. Del’s noteworthy perfect fit on the crew release Third Eye Vision set the standard for his future releases including his psychotropic alter-ego Deltron3030. With such an
extensively eclectic track record, it was only right to document the homecoming from Del’s 6-year hiatus with The 11th Hour DVD.
The documentary commences with Del rocking the stage like it’s his birthplace, donning a backpack that outweighs him. A biography continues, freeze-framing moments in time into a comic book format. What follows are days in the life of the Oakland native and the conceptualizing of his latest endeavor. Living on a diet of bidis,
greens, candy, and raspberry soda, Del audio-visualizes history in the making. His fascination with the 70’s, music theory, metaphysics, and p### provide diverse inspiration as he drops science on his MPC and synthesizer, both of which rest comfortably on his bedroom floor. The veteran MC’s closet doubles as his soundbooth as he spits a refreshingly familiar, albeit evolved flow beside a bubblegoose and a
few hangers. The humor continues as Del goes grocery shopping for the aforementioned necessities and some Hip-Hop journalism, including XXL, which he affectionately calls “Extra Extra Large”. Scattered between his grocery lists, beat-making, and freestyles are live footage from
past shows, which unfortunately set a low for the DVD. Each performance is uncut and poorly taped, making his stage blessings look like a public access concert gone awry.
Despite a few quirks and some overly extensive concert reels, The 11th Hour DVD is a perfect means to document the life of one of the most interesting men in Hip-Hop. Once the accompanying album drops, it will be a pleasure to know that something that amazing came from a man in a coat closet.
