After the group’s collaboration with Wu-Tang Clan’s Inspectah Deck, they released their debut lp, The Soul Purpose in the summer of 2001. Anchored by gritty beats and battle-ready lyricism, the album recieved the Boston Music Award for “Best Hip-Hop Album,” and led to the duo touring the United States and Europe.
01. Dwight Spits Intro
02. Verbal Assault (Prod. by Vinyl Reanimators)
03. Terror To Your Ear (Prod. by Vinyl Reanimators)
04. Operating Correctly (Feat. Mr. Lif)
05. Call Me E.S. (Prod. by Vinyl Reanimators)
06. My Rhyme Pt. II
07. Jealous Over Nothing (Prod. by Joc Max)
08. Chain Reaction (Feat. Vinnie Paz) (Prod. by Vinyl Reanimators)
09. Think Back
10. Interlude - Terra What?
11. Mic Mastery (Prod. by Vinyl Reanimators)
12. Public Execution (Feat. Reks & Apathy)
13. You Know The Concept (Prod. by Vinyl Reanimators)
14. Speaking Real Words (Feat. Inspectah Deck) (Prod. by Vinyl Reanimators)
15. First Letter
16. The Soul Purpose (Prod. by DJ Spinna)
17. Rep The Hardest (Feat. Karma)
18. Play It Cool
19. Guest List (Prod. by The ARE)
20. State Of The Art (Feat. Akrobatik, Cadence & Checkmark) (Prod. by Raw Produce)
Since 1996, when this duo dropped its first single, many people have been awaiting a full-fledged album release. Five years later it finally arrived, and Soul Purpose is definitely worth the wait. The production on the album is top-notch, with quality cutting and sampling that works well for the overall sound. The beats produced by 7L are space odyssey-ish, with a bit of Deltron 3030 and a futuristic feel, with xylophones, brass instruments, and strange throbbing sounds. The beats match with Esoteric's strong, slow, plodding delivery found on just about every track. His rhymes seem to stand out more when there's another MC on the track, such as with Mr. Lif on "Operating Correctly" or with Apathy and Reks on "Public Execution." There's an interesting circus-sounding beat on "Guest List" that should be checked out, too. A good album overall, with depth and great length at 20 tracks, Soul Purpose is evidence of what these guys are capable of. Definitely look forward to more good things from these two.
~ Brad Mills, All Music Guide
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