Gone for the most part is the whimsical mood of 93 ’til Infinity, replaced by an assured intellectual swagger that commands listeners to pay attention. With the Architect providing most of the gritty beats, Opio unleashes his hyper-literate flow on tracks such as “On The Outside Lookin’ In,” “Chaotic Erotic” and “Stop the Press,” proving that intellect and griminess are far from mutually exclusive. It remains to be seen where the Bomb Squad-style aural assault of a tune like “Original Lyricist” fits in today’s commercialized hip-hop marketplace. But for the Hiero family’s loyal legion of fans, Vulture’s Wisdom will be music to their ears.

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