Salt-n-Pepa's "Black's Magic" is the fourth studio album released by the renowned hip-hop group Salt-n-Pepa. The album was first released on March 19, 1990, and became a significant breakthrough for the group, solidifying their presence in the music industry. "Black's Magic" features a unique blend of pop-infused rap and diverse musical influences, making it a standout in the hip-hop scene of the 1990s. The album consists of 14 tracks, with the popular singles "Expression" and "Let's Talk About Sex" being the most notable. "Expression" was a major hit, peaking at number 26 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and showcasing Salt-n-Pepa's ability to deliver a catchy and empowering message. Similarly, "Let's Talk About Sex" tackled the taboo topic of sex head-on, promoting safe practices and opening up a dialogue about a subject often considered uncomfortable.
Check this Tarantula magic effect out: you are in a normal setting perhaps a coffeehouse, walking down the street,classroom, park,or even a party. You borrow a friends ring and hold it very cleanly nothing to conceal. All of a sudden, you apply an easy level spin and slowly proceed to move your hands away the ring is instantly floating. Imagine that it continues to spin and levitate without you touching it! The ring levitates upward and downward above your hand, from one hand to another, and slowly descends and lands on one’s own finger! Then you instantly repeat it, and finish off with the ring floating onto the viewers own finger! Sounds unimaginable? Believe it or not, it is simple to master! This levitation has got it all. Its entertaining, fun, mystifying, edgy, and leaves behind a heavy emotional impact.
The video does a decent job explaining things, although I wish there was more content and better video angles as to see the handling of the gimmick during performance better. If you are willing to put in the time and effort to master these effects, then you should go out and invest 70 into the tarantula, I guarantee that you will not only be fooling layman but magicians as well.
Similarly, "Let's Talk About Sex" tackled the taboo topic of sex head-on, promoting safe practices and opening up a dialogue about a subject often considered uncomfortable. Throughout "Black's Magic," Salt-n-Pepa display their versatility as artists, experimenting with different genres and styles. From the funky and infectious beats of "Do You Want Me" to the soulful and heartfelt tone of "I Don't Know," the album showcases a range of musical influences that add depth and variety to Salt-n-Pepa's sound.
Tarantuka magic trick
After playing with the tarantula, I was very pleased. I have concluded that this gimmick is as versatile as TT! Great product that Yigal released. I've been using the spider pen for three years now and have been having difficulties with it. There are endless possibilities with tarantula.
Quality of the gimmick- I would give it 8.5/10 due to the durability, could be better. Had issues with the motor spooler falling off while taking the spool out. BUT do not let that deter you from purchasing this. Nothing is perfect. Therefore you can easily fix this with a little superglue or I prefer some rubber cement glue. I forgot to mention one more thing, the gimmick, when you stretch it out to fit, BE CAREFUL! I stretched mine a little too far and ripped the gimmick a little. Make sure you don't over stretch it. 8/10
floating ring/Hovering- Great effect that requires audience management and takes LOTS of practice to perfect it. I'm currently still working on it and trying to find the perfect ring for this. I would suggest using a light wedding band for this. Wow yigal came up with the break system which is truly a great innovation to thread work that combines with Steve Fearsons' hookup. This is a truly captivating effect. It is almost like REAL MAGIC. The psychology behind this plus the new applications can be used with different objects besides a ring. The trick speaks for itself, you can see this trick in the demo video. 9/10
Money Magnetism- This trick is hard hitting and simple. Great trick to apply to your act if your a strolling magician/ close up. Basically borrows a bill from the audience and having the bill fly upwards to your other hand. This trick truly defies gravity with a borrowed bill! Like yigal said, "focus on your magic" the tarantula pretty much does the magic for you. All you have to focus on here is the patter. I going to go off topic but if you have read "strong magic" by Darwin Ortiz you can come up with a stellar presentation for this piece. Even if your not a thread worker, I still highly recommend this. 8.5/10 due to the amount of time you need to put into this to be able to perform smoothly.
Haunted Pack- My favorite trick in the whole DVD. I have been doing spooked for about four years now and came across Yigals' haunted pack with the application of the tarantula. Whole new concept due to the new function that the tarantula provides. The trick starts out with the audience member shuffling the deck of cards and selects/signs a card.
The magician cuts the deck in half and asks the audience place back the card. The magician then tells the audience member to focus on their card and then places the deck on the ground. Slow the deck starts to cut in half, then a card shoots out of the deck and it is their selected card.
In my opinion, it is the best trick on this dvd along with the hovering. The handling to this trick could be better, in a sense that I do not like the way he handled the thread with the deck in this trick as much as Spooked. Great for strolling/close up magic. 9.5/10 due to the handling or else I would give it a 10 haha
Magic pen-Great trick for the bars/ strolling magic. Borrowed pen placed it on the table, with no physical contact you make the pen roll all the way off the table and on to your hand. When I do this trick, people go crazy over this. End clean. 9/10
If you are willing to put in the time and effort to master these effects, then you should go out and invest $70 into the tarantula, I guarantee that you will not only be fooling layman but magicians as well. Do not be discouraged with the looks of the gimmick or how it works. Give it a try, practice at least two weeks with it before making a judgement. The tarantula is worthwhile.
This is my first review. I'm still getting a hang of writing them. Please let me know if I left anything out. Thanks for your time!
Posted: Mar 17, 2009 04:30 amNice review Alex. Hopefully this will help people that are on the fence still.
Aside from the singles, "Black's Magic" also features several standout tracks that further exhibit the group's musical prowess. "Beauty and the Beat" is a dynamic collaboration with En Vogue, blending their signature rap style with En Vogue's powerful vocals. Other notable tracks, such as "Independent," "I Like It Like That," and "Gitty Up," offer a mix of upbeat tempo and strong lyrical content that showcases Salt-n-Pepa's commanding presence in the genre. "Black's Magic" received critical acclaim upon its release, with many praising Salt-n-Pepa's ability to address important issues through their music while maintaining an entertaining and engaging sound. The album's success led to Salt-n-Pepa becoming one of the most influential and commercially successful female rap groups of all time. In conclusion, Salt-n-Pepa's "Black's Magic" is a defining album in their discography, showcasing their unique blend of rap, pop, and diverse musical influences. The album's notable singles, standout tracks, and critical acclaim solidified their place in music history and cemented their status as a trailblazing female rap group..
Reviews for "Embracing Sexuality and Femininity: Salt-N-Pepa's Legacy in "Blacks' Magic"
1. John Doe - 1 star
I was really disappointed with Salt n Pepa's "Blacks Magic" discography. The beats were repetitive and lacked originality, and the lyrics were shallow and uninteresting. The entire album felt like a weak attempt to recreate their previous success. I was hoping for some fresh and innovative tracks, but instead, I got a bunch of forgettable songs that all sounded the same. Overall, a major letdown.
2. Sarah Johnson - 2 stars
"Blacks Magic" by Salt n Pepa didn't live up to my expectations. The production felt dated, and the overall sound lacked energy and creativity. The lyrics also fell flat for me; they didn't resonate or leave any lasting impact. I found myself skipping through most of the tracks without being able to connect to any of them. Maybe this album just wasn't for me, but I can't say I enjoyed it.
3. Mike Thompson - 1.5 stars
I have been a fan of Salt n Pepa for a while now, but "Blacks Magic" left me disappointed. The album felt repetitive and lacked the excitement and charisma that I loved in their previous work. The songs felt like fillers rather than stand-out hits, and the production quality was subpar. Overall, it felt like a rushed and uninspired project. I hope they can bounce back with their next release.
4. Emily Carter - 2 stars
I didn't find much to enjoy in Salt n Pepa's "Blacks Magic" discography. The songs lacked depth and failed to grab my attention. It felt like they were relying on their past success rather than pushing boundaries and exploring new sounds. The album lacked cohesiveness, and many tracks just seemed out of place. Unfortunately, it didn't leave a lasting impression on me like their previous albums did.