This album gives me a headache every time I listen to it. I'm a big Hip Hop fan (admittedly American hip hop), but I just couldn't get into this and I'm now regretting buying the album. I found the beats harsh, the hooks non-existent and the rhyming almost unintelligible.

If you're a fan of English underground music you'll probably like this album. Everyone else should probably stay away. Don't be tempted to buy this because of critical praise. This is one of those occasions (at least imo) that the critics are praising an album because it's different and unique, not because it's particularly good. Please listen to the music and judge for yourself before you buy. This album is definitely an acquired taste and you should really make sure you have that acquired taste before you spend any money.

Recommended tracks: I found "I luv u" and "Brand New Day" to be relatively good but honestly I really couldn't stand the music long enough to give each track a fair evaluation (and before people jump down my throat, yes I did go through the entire album a few times over).

When I first heard "Original Pirate Material" by The Streets last year two things occurred to me. 1: Wow and 2: this will never catch on in the states. Well, it may catch on here, but not anytime soon. In the meantime Dizzee Rascal was getting a lot of hype from the u.k. press but we in the states had to wait until 1/04 to hear his debut lp released in America on the great Matador label.
Now that I have the album I have to say I agree with all the advance praise I have heard on the album. None of that praise, however, will have you prepared to actually hear the album. Dizzee uses the same techno-style beats you here from The Streets but his flow as an MC is much more rapid fire and less clumsy than Mike Skinner's is. At times it is flat out unbelievable. His harsh cockney accent will have you saying "huh"(You'll need to look up his lyrics on the web). But despite the language barrier, I must say this is the most inventive hip-hop album I've heard in, well, maybe forever. Dizzee's lyrics sway back and forth from dark and confrontational to absolutely hilarious, and his delivery will keep the listener off balance. The first track "Sittin Here" is mellow, especially when compared to the rest of the album. The lyrics are a vivid account of urban decay and lost innocence. "Stop Dat", the second track, is a digital assault on the eardrums. The beats sound like an attack by some strange swarm of alien bees. "I Luv U" is probably the best song on the album, and it is a hilarious take on male and female players. It also sounds like a playstation fighting game. Bizarre sound effects are a recurring theme on this album. The beats on "Brand New Day" sound like R2D2 playing chimes. At times the aural barrage can be grating, but not on "Jus a Rascal", on which Dizzee's delivery is blistering(particularly the last verse). I would recommend this album to any one who likes a broad range of music. People that like mainstream garbage hip-hop with no aesthetic shouldn't bother. This is a different kind of bling-bling.

I can not believe some of the Yank reviewers on here criticising Dizzee's accent and demanding that he move to the states for a few years to lose his accent. Is this not almost as arrogant as ignoring the UN??? I admit that it is pretty thick but I can here every single word, and I'm Aussie! Of course his accent is going to be different - He's foreign, what did you expect???

This album is awesome. All the beats are awesome. My favourite tracks are "Sittin' Here", "Stop Dat", "I Luv U", "2 Far", "Fix Up, Look Sharp", "Cut 'Em Off", "Hold Ya Mouf", "Jus A Rascal", "Wat U On?", "Seems 2 Be" & "Live O". If you don't have this album then you should definitely get it.

I can't really be bthered to write a proper review I just a small point to make: so many of the American reviews here complain of Dizzee's 'thick accent'. Well, guys, think about the amount of music we get imported into Britain with 'thick American accents'! Welcome to our world!