Ab-Soul - Control System Album Revisit | DEHH

This year marks 10 years since Ab-Soul's Control System originally dropped. On May 11, 2011 the album put Ab-Soul on the map as being one of the best lyricists in TDE. But has the album held up? Or was it just a moment in time? And what about Ab-Soul's career since then? Listen to the fellas discuss it and then leave your thoughts in the comment section!
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About Dead End Hip Hop:
No scripts. It's pure unfiltered hip hop conversations and album reviews. No politics. No BS. We Are The People.

[@dfrnt_hues]

“The Book of Soul” is absolutely one of the best songs I’ve ever heard. Up there with What’s Going On & Keep Your Head To The Sky. It’s so sad, vulnerable, and beautiful at the same time.

[@musiclifter5424]

Yeah that songs amazing

[@Gillisdanielj]

Get a therapist my brother in Christ

[@RKfMaster]

@@Gillisdanielj this comment is the result of having no communication skills outside of the internet

[@RickiAL4]

💯

[@dfrnt_hues]

@@RKfMaster hahaha homie was thirsty for a response.

[@vKSh87]

‘If reincarnation is true and we don't get too lost Even if you forget me and everything you left behind I never lied, I love you in a place where there's no space and time’

[@jerrylanes8354]

This is why he’s #2 on my list

[@louaista]

Book of Soul one of the saddest songs of all time. "Now i'm so DOPED UP I think i'm flyiiiinnnngg.... I wish this spliff'll never finish. I guess the Mayans wasn't lyinnng.... 2012 MY WOLD ended..."

[@LatersFoo]

No skips on this album. Truly a 10/10. Such a shame TDE could never help him follow up with something even remotely close.

[@clarktownsend8991]

I think alot of that is more on him than TDE. He seems like an eclectic that likes to work at his own pace.

[@LatersFoo]

@@clarktownsend8991 good point

[@Zone252lyfe]

Agreed with this being a 10/10. I truly wish he could have kept it going. Partly feel Kendrick got too big and even if you liked These Days and DWTW, it would have got eclipsed. And tbh, I feel like Kendrick took some of Soul’s concepts (the these days vibe is what mr morale is doing now)

[@agipson101]

@@Zone252lyfe kendrick was also inspired to do section 80 cuz of ab soul

[@LatersFoo]

@@Zone252lyfe feel you on that one, there are so many similarities in style between ab soul and Kendrick. You could say Kendrick’s whole style is a mash up of the best qualities of the other original members of TDE. Might be a bit of a reach to say that but I would understand if you did.

[@keithharrell2796]

This album is definitely one of my all time fave albums. It crazy to think it’s been 10 years, I still remember being 14 yrs old and watching y’all’s review of this. Long Live DEHH

[@elizahhoward3923]

Long live dead end and hip hop too

[@Celticsboy1920]

Dead ass i remember being like 12-13 in middle school and going back now seeing how much i missed being so young and not understanding everything fully as i can now it just gets better

[@samirgrover548]

Feel you bro this was the first DEHH review I ever watched, been hooked since then

[@oopsIspelledthiswrong]

I agree 10,000% with this expect I would've been 13 which is crazy to think

[@knowistrite]

Hey Keith, check out this video of me describing hanging out with Ab-Soul kzbin.info/www/bejne/hXO7pYGnoZaIgac

[@kody3333333]

I still think Ab Soul has at least one more classic left in him. I really hope we hear a project from him this year.

[@knowistrite]

There is ton of music and he just did LA Leakers the other night. Please feel free check out the video where I describe hanging out with Ab-Soul kzbin.info/www/bejne/hXO7pYGnoZaIgac

[@TreDoes.]

Honestly I don’t think a lot of TDE care about buzzing again. Ab just be chilling, Jay Rock just be kicking it in his hood, Schoolboy just be taking care of his kids and playing golf. These dudes got old and they just aren’t hungry for being hot in rap, they’re all well off now

[@b0bbytime0ut]

this definitely one of my favorite UNDERRATED albums

[@youngchief31]

Easily one of the best projects of this current generation of rap - period. His verse on “Ab-Soul’s Outro” from “Section.80” made me aware; “Longterm Mentality” made me a fan; but “Control System” made me a STAN. I stood on my soapbox and said this is my favorite newest (at the time) rapper moving forward. I hope he can deliver on his next project, I’m sure he has a lot to talk about…

[@knowistrite]

Ab-Soul amazing Young Chief. Please check out this latest video, where I describe our night hanging out. kzbin.info/www/bejne/hXO7pYGnoZaIgac

[@jerrylanes8354]

2nd best rapper of all time behind nas

[@money0925]

I could still rap the 2nd verse of Track 2 word for word til this day. Control System is a classic.

[@zay_thegentleman288]

Word as bond. Track Two is my shit. Bar for bar "And we stunting like.. Like I never had shit, cuz I never had shit🔥"

[@money0925]

@@zay_thegentleman288 Same chucks *2 YEARS STRAIGHT* doing BAD shit. Bruh when I heard that, I was going on year 4 of my red chucks no bs 🤣

[@donavangreen27]

Definitely one of my favorite albums of all time. Book of Soul almost made me shed that Denzel in “Glory” tear. Always glad to see Ab getting love.

[@ludabam241]

I remember having this conversation with my friends a few years ago. It feels like Ab-Soul will forever be in the shadow of this project with all due respect. Fantastic conscious album. I bought it on iTunes without a second thought when it came out. If this is the best thing Ab-Soul will ever put out, so be it. He brought so many ideas that changed the minds of the masses.

[@knowistrite]

Shaggy Rodgers, amazing name and Ab-Soul Control System still amazing. Here's interesting story about us hanging out kzbin.info/www/bejne/hXO7pYGnoZaIgac

[@CityOTroy]

Loving these revisits! This album was one of my top TDE projects at the time (it's still my favorite Ab Soul project) my top tracks are Bohemian Grove, Terrorist Threats, Book of Soul, Illuminate and Mixed emotions.

[@AdolphSaxOfficial]

Empathy is such an underrated love song too

[@knowistrite]

FAVORITE AB-SOUL album for me too. Here's a video, talking about the night we hung out kzbin.info/www/bejne/hXO7pYGnoZaIgac

[@publicenemyb]

this might have been one of, if not the 1st review i watched from yall. here's to 10 more. keep up the greatness.

[@JayDejean86]

The illuminate Kendrick verse had the same color as section 80. That studio in Carson had a feeling.

[@lucariojet]

This review made my day - The classic conversation style was perfect and made me nostalgic as all hell. In regards to TDE's label. They've still got some cats I'm checking in on. Isaiah Rashad, SZA, Sir, Reason, Jay Rock and Q. Their new homie Ray Vaughn is a killer on the mic, def peep his LA Leakers freestyle. Tap was one of my favorite tracks from last year. But they def don't feel like the monolith of quality like they used to. That 2011-2016 era was legendary.

[@WiggityWackWes]

unexpected but excited to see this

[@J_Chips]

“Rapper Sh!t” (unreleased from the Longterm Mentality era) is a perfect testament of Ab-Soul and Kendrick going bar-for-bar on a track! Yin and Yang of TDE at that time. *On a side note: I always felt that Soul should’ve had his “Food & Liquor and The Cool” success that Lupe had with those two albums in particular.

[@kcking23]

"And who knew that too cool fool who used to sit in the back Would slip through the crack, like dudes who went to rehab" - Ab Soul.

[@KolydoscopeMusic]

So glad you brought up that track, it's one that a lot of people missed but I always refer them to that song when they don't believe the fact that Ab-Soul and Kendrick can easily go bar-for-bar. It's a stance I still hold to this day.

[@J_Chips]

@@kcking23 “And that was like ‘95, now it's 2010 Two years away from when they say the world's expected to end And I ain't even begin That's more ironic than a bum asking for 50 Cent from Many Men" - Ab-Soul🔥🔥🔥

[@J_Chips]

@@KolydoscopeMusic Exactly my G! Still to this day, whenever I listen to that track I just shake my head with the disgusted face/look. No fancy over-produced beat. Just pure spittin’ from those two. Another honorable mentions are: “Turn Me Up”, “P&P (the 1st one)”, “Showin’ Love”, “Nothing New (that beat is simply gorgeous)”, and Nothing’s Something”. Those are the ones just off top.

[@OneStopHipHop811]

Glad to see someone else mention this song, I never really see people talk about it. It's one of my favorite songs by Ab-Soul and my favorite collaboration track with Ab and Kendrick.

[@TexasNightmare210]

So Feefo listened to Track Two, Terrorist Threats, Black Lip Bastard, Pineal Gland, etc and didn’t like the production? Wtf. Only track I dont think aged that well is Double Standards. Rest is still flames

[@wiz0zero]

I still play this album to this day. Very overlooked album, it should be held up as a classic

[@nmj530]

I’m a huge fan of DEHH, but they should have revisited Section 80 last year

[@barca29np]

One of the best rap albums ever, absolutely a shame tde never dedicated him more time and that he lost his killer edge.. He could have been and was better than kendrick without a doubt. Top 5 rap albums of the 10s.

[@jerrylanes8354]

He is better than kdot

[@TrillyThough]

This was my album of 2012. As far as CrasH Talk goes...man, I loved that shit when it dropped and even more when I replayed it last weekend.

[@quesostuff1009]

Crash talk is not a bad album But honestly crash talk as a wholistic body of work didn’t do anything to bring Q more commercial love or show his artistic growth or expression. I don’t even think there’s a cohesive narrative backed in

[@georgenaratadam3803]

Terrorist Threats is one of the top songs of a generation.

[@AeonLux_]

As opposed to a follow-up of Control System...I really think it would be a far more significant addition to his discography by giving us Long Term 3. As much as I love CS, the long term series has always been what's defined him to a point where he's consciously aware of it. I always felt like he wanted the long term series to be his legacy. I mean it's literally in the name. Like an intentional mentality that he's chosen to approach his career. Sorta like his mantra or way of life. To drop Long Term 3, after essentially being forgotten about, and remind us all of why soul is soul would be so dope to me in my eyes. Not only would we all love to have him back but now that dot isn't on the label and there's a void there that he could potentially fill...we're at a point where surprising us with Long Term 3 could be an incredibly poetic comeback for soul.

[@bonafide250]

Ab Soul is dope ! Real Hip hip Rap fans know

[@KolydoscopeMusic]

Easily one of the best projects that have come out of TDE and for sure one of the best records in general if we're talking about this generation of hip-hop. "Book of Soul" will forever be seen as his magnum opus, I truly believe that's one of the strongest, most heartbreaking songs I've heard in rap.

[@geoffking6031]

YOOOOO I LOVE YALL FOR REVISITING THIS ONE!!! One of the best, most unique rap albums of all time. This album sounds like a spiritual awakening off the codeine lol

[@bjenksful]

I love this album so much. In 2012 I definitely was bumping this way more than GKMC at the time. I want better for Soul. I hope his next project can help him pick up some more steam.

[@lupehn]

This albums is a certified classic and has been through so many spins from me.

[@Flow349]

Arguably a top 5 TDE album

[@mistahmata]

Shoot I’d say top 3

[@jerrylanes8354]

@@mistahmata exactly top 3

[@artheals8869]

What a coincidence, was just listening to this last night.

[@t-god2439]

🤣 same bro I just went to my Apple Music and the song I stopped listening to my ad track 2

[@rfjowers0839]

They just dropped a TDE Ep. Doechiii

[@brandonfarr3167]

The overall discussion on TDE and their relevance is a very needed one. Glad y’all had it👌🏾💯

[@TheMkfan123]

It's so good to see them revisiting albums that I never left lol. Hip-hop from 2011-- 2017 is the only hip-hop that I listen to (minus coke rap like Freddie Gibbs, Greselda, etc.). From R.A.P Music to G.K.M.C to Cilvia Demo to RTJ to Blank Face to Forever Is A Mighty Long Time to Flower Boy to The Never Story and so on... I feel like artists (besides coke rappers) have been choosing production that fits more with what's hot now, instead of trying to find their own style. I think because a lot of those albums from that time period sounded so unique to the artists, it made those albums instantly timeless unlike today. Anyway... what are some of y'alls favorite albums from 2011-2017? I really want to know.

[@AdolphSaxOfficial]

Random one off the top of my head: Trees & Truth by Mick Jenkins. Perfect for a long drive.

[@Northsyde21]

Same music I still listen to

[@Ofmikes_and_men]

The interests in TDE is waning cause they drop albums once every 3-5 years (in Soulo’s case, 6). In a landscape where you have Griseldas that drop 5-6 projects a year, or even a Dreamville that drop fairly consistently; you need to adapt to it

[@michaeljohnson-so8cv]

Y'all should do Elmatic next that album as straight 🔥

[@erronking7783]

“Had a sounwave beat tape tryna beat Drake” what a time

[@ignorantenlightenment]

Need new Soul ASAP, Control System is a top 5 TDE project imo

[@Joela393]

TDE don’t even drop quality projects anymore so it’s pretty easy to be top 5

[@DIRTYSOUTHSHINOBI]

@@Joela393 bruh TDE was on top from 2010-2018 ish they been on top for damn near a decade IDK what you talking about

[@jerrylanes8354]

@@DIRTYSOUTHSHINOBI fr he tripping hard

[@Centure120]

Listened to this album so many times in Afghanistan

[@trunks2505]

I agree with Feefo about some songs are slightly dated sounding but this is definitely one of the best albums to come out that year. I listen to it at least once per year.

[@qthe6thman]

ab soul is the rap grant hill

[@AdolphSaxOfficial]

He was my absoulute favorite rapper not even 10 years ago. This comment punched me square in the gut.

[@barca29np]

Great take

[@RKfMaster]

Maaaan I remember when yall camera was stolen. I was working at a gas station and stiill donated $10. Crazy to see how far yall have come. Here's to 10+ more years of quality content 🍻

[@musiclifter5424]

The complexity of do what thou wilt gives it so much replay value for me tryna figure all that shit out, similar to drogas wave, so for me that album is damn near on par with control system, for the last 2 years an soul has bin the rapper I want an album from most cus I feel he’s left out of conversations he should be in as for me as a lyricist he can go toe to toe with anyone including Kendrick, I’m a huge fan of him and it is annoying that he’s taken so much time off, I just hope he hasn’t retired at this point

[@jerrylanes8354]

Invocation Threatening nature are some of the most complex songs there is today

[@jayhova1788]

I love this album still jam it till this day

[@StealingYourWiFi]

Bro i was just listening to this album like 2 days ago. Such a fire piece of work

[@thesammartin]

Dehh just so good. I didn't even know I needed this vid

[@Celticsboy1920]

Top 3 fav albums ever man soulo da goat

[@KolydoscopeMusic]

I always love giving a shout-out to one of his best projects in my opinion, Long Term 2: Lifestyles of the Broke and Almost Famous. Mayday might just be one of his strongest songs to date.

[@TexasNightmare210]

I literally listened to this album yesterday without even knowing this review was coming lol. Still fire tbh

[@t-god2439]

That new single he was snapping on there. And he didn’t need to explain Do what thou wilt to me I just didn’t fuck with the idea and where those Ideals steam from

[@RadiOG58]

Crazy that this album has been on my mind lately. I was gonna see if they had a video on it and today they make a new one! Thanks DEHH. Terrorist threats, bohemian grove and pineal gland are always in rotation. Book of soul is a great song to vent to.

[@erronking7783]

Ayyyoooooooooooo!!!! Fucking classic top 5 TDE

[@qthe6thman]

he ain't been the same since this classic.

[@st.christopher7614]

DEHH STRIKES AGAIN

[@Skrewz]

I just listened to this again a month ago....its aging pretty pretty good.

[@youngancestor_]

def need more music from soul

[@kierraa05]

i thought ab soul was gonna be the one when this came out :( i remember watching the original review, can’t believe it’s been ten years already and y’all have been around long enough to revisit reviews!

[@jasonnn247]

My favorite hip hop album ever.

[@iDewThis4Yu]

People don’t talk about rebellion enough… that song hits

[@byHexted]

I listened to this album for the first time in years a few months ago, held up so well he was my favorite rapper from like 2013-2014

[@user-ir7vb5iz1o]

I go back to this album A LOT

[@obamasjumper]

i think this album cemented my TDE fandom in high school

[@AdolphSaxOfficial]

I must be in the minority, but I love These Days... That album got me thru some difficult times and some other very trippy times. Hunnid Stax, Dub Sac, World Runners, Just Have Fun (favorite track), Kendrick Lamar's Interlude, Stigmata, Ride Slow.... I could go on and on. He put on a clinic with Control System, that's his best work no doubt. But I have a much deeper personal connection with These Days... These days I've seen my best Need be, lay me to rest Smoke, drink, relieve my stress Hard times, they got the best of me I guess 🥲😭😭

[@jordanp9351]

I feel you man, These Days is so strange - listeners understood the conceptual basis of the album but it still didn’t seem to gel, and with retrospect some of it has aged well but then some of it sounds *like 2014* - which I guess was sort of the point of the album’s concept. Moreover, it feels like it has been totally forgotten - one of the most forgotten semi big hip hop releases of the last decade. Still though, I still enjoy a lot of the songs on the album, especially the secret song on Just Have Fun, probably one of my fave Soul songs.

[@Shaun.is.typing]

Thanks!

[@BigClipps]

Everybody should just go stream Control System one time just to show Soul a spike in streams. Ab-Soul really tapped into the core of issues that mainstream media just now unraveling It’s Timeless Classic that still applies.

[@atreesto]

One of my favorite albums of all time

[@The15dude3]

No skips classic soul brother #2 shit fr!! Can y’all possibly review some $uicideboy$ 👀

[@Jimmy1982Playlists]

We need new Soul, Q and Rock... soon! This album still incredible. Can't believe people didn't know he had a new single in April.

[@EzCane]

Love these reviews. We getting old

[@moballardful]

Album is a classic. Really hoping he drops something soon but he's been quiet for far too long. The game itself needs Soulo.

[@ShinbrigTV]

I remember when people were saying Soul was better than Kendrick when this album dropped.

[@ryancarona4199]

Control System is Ab-Soul's best body of work

[@denkokoro]

Back in my day, the TDE roster was goated from the womb. I can't imagine what my high school squad thinks now. That same energy hasn't changed for me.

[@jobros2795]

Classic album! A shame he didn’t live up to his potential

[@patsnation8427]

*This still my favorite Soulo project.*

[@TheGoldenPower_]

Album pulled me out of a bad place when it dropped in 2012. It stood the test of time as well.

[@godfatheful]

Illuminate is a dope song

[@coronbrown9238]

A Rebellion doesn’t get talked about enough.

[@SolidSnake240]

I love "These Days". The overall sound was more commercial but it still had that Ab-Soul twist to it. I think the concept of that album was mad slept on.

[@DIRTYSOUTHSHINOBI]

"These Days"was a decent album but it was mad disappointing if you compare it too "Control System"

[@jacksonjones8523]

Last month he said his album will come out this month but one can only hope

[@jonsense4937]

man i haven't watched any of the album reviews for the year.....but someday imma just binge watch all when i get a few days off lol

[@Ahyoka888]

Timeless piece

[@chrisgray2824]

Sht after I watch this, I'm about to listen to the album...

[@tristonweekes7588]

DEHH sleeping on the new soul single. But also people been sleep on TDE but they still doing they thing. Ray Vaughn, sir, zacari, doechii, zay, and Sza of course. I think DEHH will like Ray Vaughn

[@Anchorbabymusicgroup]

I think my goal for my music is to get an album reviewed by these guys! Good or bad one it don’t matter lol

[@HStalhane]

need that Cheat Codes review

[@HStalhane]

also Fatlip & Blu

[@Krem_82]

Masks & mics, don’t MIX well, but, LOVEd YALL for decades now. 💬 patreon & the DEHH Fam, feel like we know ya’ll after 10+ yrs. Haven’t revisited for a year or so… ✌🏽

[@alexhayes7853]

Hot take....my favorite ab soul album is these days. Because that was the album that had me become a fan of soul. And it first introduce me to ab soul around 2014-2015. And control system is super dope. Hell his whole catalog dope. But these days, it's my favorite. My opinion. I know control system is his best though

[@lordrapgod4803]

While I was feeling like TDE is definitely losing buzz I realized that DAMN. and Ctrl dropped in 2017 and those are both certified classics .. 2018 Jay Rock dropped Redemption which is a fantastic album and arguably his best. They also did the Black Panther album in 2018 and that was dope af too. In 2019 SiR dropped a criminally underrated album with Chasing Summer. Literally one of my all time favourite R&B albums ever .. Q dropped CrasH Talk which is definitely not his best but still a good album in my opinion. REASON dropped New Beginnings in 2020 which is really good to me. For me in was a dope intro into who Reason is and now I’m super excited for what he has to come. In 2021 Isaiah returned after 5 years and dropped the House Is Burning. Fucking phenomenal album and is one of my favourites from 2021. Kendrick returned this year with Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers and it’s currently my favourite album that as dropped this year. So while it feels like they are losing buzz it’s just because they don’t drop enough and I feel that argument. BUT the quality is still there and has always been there. They move very slow but every time they’ve dropped in the past 5 years it’s always been dope to me. Always looking forward to a TDE release. I need new Q, Rock and Soul albums this year..

[@tbtv1424]

Still in my top 5 TDE releases

[@nadie842]

loved this video! are you on audea? most of my audio is consumed there and would appreciate the audio version of your content on that platform

[@marquizeconway]

Honestly these days is not bad and the concept is pretty easy to understand

[@fbi3277]

dope, always thought this album was underrated

[@oblivionworldwide]

Feefo is saying "Things of that nature" He watching AMP on the low

[@t-god2439]

“Stay on your purpose” lol and blah blah blah

[@LA-ue2ph]

the TDE fizzling out point is so true, as a massive fan since 2011 i can say that ever since they started putting out mediocre projects the only artist on the label i care about at this point is sza after kendrick left

[@Justboolin]

Imagine new Ab-Soul 😭😭 need that bad

[@jayhova1788]

Ab-soul album is on the way as y'all speak

[@livinsowellr]

Even though I don't put Ab Soul In my Top 5 all Time Emcees . I put Control System in my top 5 All time favorite rap albums

[@Genghisganja]

Y'all should review southern underground by cunninlynguists that album is so underrated knos production is way ahead of his time