On Aesop Rock's 2003 LP, Bazooka Tooth, El-P stated that "true veterans'll give dap to those who started it, then hungrily move the fuck on and come with that new, retarded shit." Nearly a decade later I'm writing about his new single, "The Full Retard," wondering how detractors can respond to the flawless logic of an MC/producer who is the embodiment of that end ("true veteran" status) achieved by his own plainly-worded means. To put it another way: constant innovation is the key to longevity and El-P is living proof.

While Public Enemy parallels are unavoidable with this track, most remain one-dimensional, comparing only El's production style to that of the Bomb Squad, but he continually displays Chuck D-like mic mastery here. ... And if Flavor Flav wore a clock "to let you know what time it is," the physical object is absent on El-P only because you can't rock the more symbolic Doomsday Clock. So, take the advice that had to be sampled from the late rapper Camu Tao (still dearly missed) and "pump this shit." Who knows how long we have left?

... Well, it's safe to say we have until May 22, since that's when El-P's entire album, Cancer for Cure, is set to be released.

Find the full lyrics: HERE