The production work is not exactly your morning lemon. He speaks of there being a time when rock and hip-hop could collaborate without being stomped by the media, but since then the whole genre would later lose its touch, in which he boldly states “You wanna be an MC, you gotta study the skill”. “Step Up”, a similar track to “High Voltage”, further showcases Shinoda’s rapping talent. The beat consists of ambient floating violins and an old-skool beat to accompany it. “Technique” is a short but sweet scratch session from the groups background DJ, Joe Hahn. On that note, the remix version is worth listening to. A definite must listen, although I cannot guarantee all will be drawn into Mike’s first-time almost tiresome and mellow rapping. The chorus is built of a vocoder voice of Shinoda repeating the rhythmic and catchy “Its High Voltage/You can’t shake the shock, because nobody wants it to stop, check it out”. The beat is less impressive than that of some of the older hip-hop workings, preferably “Dedicated”, but keeps the flow all the more interesting. “High Voltage” sounded like something straight out of an 8 Mile freestyle, with Shinoda delivering his best performance to date. While sounding very amateur for the time it was made, the lyrics (apart from thoughts of suicide and emotional feelings) really did impress me. Three of these hip-hop tracks are “Technique”, “High Voltage” and “Step Up”. Only consisting of six tracks and two bonus features, the hip-hop influence of Hybrid Theory balanced out rock with little to no effort. Mike Shinoda, a seemingly talented rapper from California, managed to have his share of success alongside younger lead vocalist Chester Bennington. Firstly, the combination of rap and rock was still calming down after the days of Rage Against The Machine. Unfortunately, I did not go that far, but certain moments on the album really caught my attention. What surprised me even more, I later found out only 1000 copies had been made in the world, and for me to possess such an item I couldn’t help but like it. At least that was what I thought, until I managed to get my hands on a copy of the CD. West Coast hip-hop was very popular in the days, and all Hybrid Theory did to the situation was further prove that Limp Bizkit still had a kicking chance of survival in the industry. I remember a friend recommended this album to me, but I rejected it politely. Back before there was almost crucial success, glittering fame and front-cover worthy status, they were the underground sounds of Hybrid Theory EP. Back before the strong release of their debut album, “Hybrid Theory”, Linkin Park hid in the shadows under the alias of the same name. While their music seems 2-dimensional, almost to the point of irritation, we still are drawn into a rollercoaster of melodramatic lyrics, underground hip-hop beats and heavy guitar riffs. What was all your effort for in the first place? That, I ask myself every night on why I got into Linkin Park at all.
Or maybe build a rocking chair for your grandfather, only to find out he died last week. How far would we go to impress everyone? Perhaps buy flowers for your girlfriend, only to find out she’s not into guys. Review Summary: A strong EP, defining Linkin Park's sound and energy.