CHRISTGAU CONSUMER GUIDE

AFRIKA BAMBAATA AND FAMILY "Beware (The Funk Is Everywhere)” (Tommy Boy) Selected producers cut Bam’s electro leanings with the prescribed heavy guitars, and musically this tops the U.T.F.O. albums, say. But neither leader not followers give up the rhymes or reasons of a ranking m.c., and I’m grieved to report that only “Kick Out The Jams” overcomes the formlessness of personality his detractors have always charged him withߞit’s got Bill Laswell all over it.