Ruthless Rap Assassins 'And It Wasn't A Dream' (Murdertone/EMI, 1990) (mp3)

Ruthless Rap Assassins' 1990 debut 'Killer Album' is a feast of inventive music and skilled wordsmithery, bringing a distinctly UK (Mancunian, even) perspective to hiphop. I still love it to bits even now.

'And It Wasn't Dream' is a powerful piece. Based around a sample of Cymande's 'The Message', it tells of the experience of the band's parents. They came to the UK on the British Government's promise of prosperity and were needed to address labour shortages in the fifties.

As the sample intones "it wasn't a dream, this was a nightmare" as their parents encountered racism and found the UK wasn't the land of opportunity that they had been told. The chance to earn well and set themselves up was an empty promise.

It's a powerful but sensitively written track that takes in a host of sub-themes rather than just being a diatribe. It backed-up perfectly with a sympathetic track produced by famed Manchester producer Greg Wilson.

The Rap Assassins released a further album - 'Think! It Ain't Illegal Yet' - but it failed to breakthrough and they split. MC Kermit turned up in Black Grape with Sean Ryder later in the nineties.

'Killer Album' was recently reissued and is an essential purchase.

Download Ruthless Rap Assassins 'And It Wasn't A Dream' (mp3) (Box)

Check out this extensive site about the Ruthless Rap Assassins (and Kiss AMC).