Mixerr Album Reviews #657

This is Michael Mixerr. Today I will review The Next Level - Da Real album.

The Next Level was the Flint version of Public Enemy similar to how Kaos & Mystro was the Detroit version of Boogie Down Productions. Mad Maggie Mag was their executive producer. This album was released in 1994 on cassette only by AMPA Records outta Flint. Bernard Terry mastered this album at Silver Sun Studios.

The sound on Da Real album is similar to that Bangtown sound that was popular in Flint at that time. Deep heavy bass with garage drum beats on a Roland SPC from the basement similar to acid rap. Think garage rap. Think Esham and Natas for example! Not sure if Bangtown produced this or not. Either way this tape is very positive, educational, and inspirational. The sounds of the Da Real album are Hip Hop/Rap meets religion and spoken word. Of course with electronic sound.

Adrian Muhammad Quest and Andre Price (Dre) are The Next Level. Ever since 1992, The Next Level had a clothing line called TNL Wear. They also owned TNL Entertainment, an independent record label. The Next Level is about sharing and promoting positive messages with descriptive accurate recordings to better society. The Next Level has a strong faith in following the religion of Islam and Faith of Islam. The Next Level was a rap duo from Flint, Michigan from 1992 to 2007. The Next Level was also known as Next Level Clique.


Da Real is Descriptive Accurate Recordings Evolving Attitudes Language. Da Real about how The Next Level is trying to change the attitudes of people and their languages to overcome their problems that they are facing. The Next Level decided that the people wanted actual news rather than the crap media being displayed on Fox News or whatever news channel outlets out there display/shoot out propaganda. They're trying to change the youth attitudes on their warped outlooks of life. They want the youth to be political activists and be community volunteers. Volunteers in the community.
The Next Level is about sharing and promoting positive messages with descriptive accurate recordings to better society.

Very often did they encourage activism in the community and people to be community volunteers along with political activism. Their plans were to increase community awareness and political activism.

The Next Level had slogans called “It’s On! So Don’t Sleep!” and “Da Real”. “It’s On! So Don’t Sleep!” slogan was about increasing community awareness and raising political activism. “It’s On! So Don’t Sleep!” is their most known slogan.

Da Real is Descriptive Accurate Recordings Evolving Attitudes Language which is about trying to change the attitudes of people and their languages to overcome their problems that they are facing. Da Real was about changing the thought patterns of people. Once you change your philosophy, you change your thought pattern. Once you change your thought pattern, you change your attitude.


Smacking 'Em Back a diss track with a freestyle flow aimed at all enemies and haters out there. The Next Level is “Smacking 'Em Back” with the Mack Attack on this track. Think of Mack Attack and Craig Mack. All haters and enemies, be aware and take heed! The Next Level is warning us. Sucker MC, posers, and fakers are subject in for lyrical beatdowns by the The Next Level Clique.

The Next Level Clique had not dissed any groups in particular as Took-N-Bone, DOA, The Dayton Family, Kode Blu, Selby, The Fharmacy, or Ruff-N-Rugged did. It was mostly A&Rs and politicians that The Next Level Clique had called out on Smacking 'Em Back.


Men of Respect is about how and why The Next Level is well respected by intellectuals. The Next Level is strong in following the Faith of Islam. It's all in the family. They think of Islam as a clan family. "Much respect to our people who submitted our bosses. We overcame all of our losses." is a well memorable inspirational moving quote by The Next Level.

The bass is super heavy as it is on Da Real and the beats sound very garage made which is very formidable to such tastes. Think garage rap and Islamic rap.


The Headknocka is basically a freestyle track. It is a freestyle track. From the looks of the title of the track that is, the sounds are similar in the form a freestyle track. The beats are so dope. Dope lyrics with dark brooding voices over acapella and spoken word.

There Are No Children Here will remind you of MC Overlord's Where are the Children? song. The Next Level tackles and combats the issues of child endangerment, child abuse, and the sexual abuse of children. It's about children being kidnapped and not knowing how to handle all that stress.

Rest in Peace is a dedication to the deceased loved ones out there in the world. To all deceased mothers, fathers, siblings, children, grandparents, and mutual friends. Just anyone.

The A cappella outro is very good. The A cappella outro is filled with dope lyrics with dark brooding voices over acapella and spoken word. A cappella is the oldest form of spoken word when it comes to music. The roots of A cappella originate in the continent of Africa.



This album was a more different from the average EPs/albums that most Flint rap groups were putting out on cassettes at that time in the mid 1990s. This album has positive uplifting messages rather than the negative downbeat raps filled with negativity from gangsta rap that don't add any solutions to the problems people were facing. Da Real proves to be very positive, educational, and inspirational.

Da Real is one of those albums that got lost during Rap’s musical transition from educational positive book smart intellectual rap to ghetto negative gangsta rap. Da Real is one of those albums that got lost during Rap’s transition from Golden era hip hop to gangsta rap. I just wish Brotha Brotha and One Million Strong were on this album.

With that said… I rate this album, Da Real, 5/5*****!