Holy Intellect

{{Infobox album

| name = Holy Intellect

| type = Album

| artist = Poor Righteous Teachers

| cover = Holyintellect.jpg

| alt =

| released = May 29, 1990

| recorded = 1989−1990

| venue =

| studio =

| genre = Hip hop

| length =

| label = * Profile

Arista
01515-11289

| producer = * Tony D

Eric IQ Gray

| prev_title =

| prev_year =

| next_title = Pure Poverty

| next_year = 1991

}}

Holy Intellect is the debut album by hip-hop group Poor Righteous Teachers, famous for its pro-Five-Percenter messages.{{cite book |last1=Reeves |first1=Marcus |title=Somebody Scream! Rap Music's Rise to Prominence in the Aftershock of Black Power |date=2009 |publisher=Farrar, Straus and Giroux |page=86}}{{cite news |last1=Leland |first1=John |title=The Trick Is Keeping It Positive |work=Newsday |date=Mar 3, 1990 |department=Part II |page=17}} It includes "Rock Dis Funky Joint", which sampled "Slippin' into Darkness" by War, a 1970s funk band.

The album is broken down track-by-track by Poor Righteous Teachers in Brian Coleman's book Check the Technique.Coleman, Brian. Check The Technique: Liner Notes For Hip-Hop Junkies. New York: Villard/Random House, 2007.

Critical reception

{{Music ratings

|rev1 = AllMusic

|rev1score = {{Rating|4.5|5}}{{cite web|author=Andy Kellman |url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/holy-intellect-mw0000689983 |title=Holy Intellect Poor Righteous Teachers |website=AllMusic |date= |accessdate=May 28, 2014}}

}}

The Washington Post stated that Poor Righteous Teachers "promote black unity, a 'knowledge of self', which, combined with swinging grooves, tasteful samples and swift rapping, makes for a funky, uplifting experience."{{cite news |last1=Mills |first1=David |title=Rap and the Righteous; The Hip-Hop Movement's New Message Music |work=The Washington Post |date=Aug 12, 1990 |page=G1}} The New York Times noted the "nimble, free-associative raps over riffs that change just often enough".{{cite news |last1=Pareles |first1=Jon |title='Radical' Rap: Of Pride and Prejudice |work=The New York Times |date=Dec 6, 1990 |page=A1}}

In 1998, the album was selected as one of The Source{{'}}s "100 Best Rap Albums".{{cite magazine |url=http://www.rocklistmusic.co.uk/source.htm#100albums |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060214200158/http://www.rocklistmusic.co.uk/source.htm#100albums |url-status=usurped |archive-date=February 14, 2006 |title=100 Best Rap Albums |accessdate=November 24, 2007 |magazine=The Source |issue=#100 |date=January 1998 |location=New York |issn=1063-2085}}

Track listing

All tracks produced by Tony D, except tracks 8 and 10 produced by Eric IQ Gray

class="wikitable"
style="text-align:center;"\|# ! style="text-align:center;"\|Title ! style="text-align:center;"\|Performer (s)
1 \|"Can I Start This?" \|Wise Intelligent, Culture Freedom
2 \|"Rock Dis Funky Joint" \|Wise Intelligent, Culture Freedom
3 \|"Strictly Ghetto" \|Wise Intelligent, Culture Freedom
4 \|"Holy Intellect" \|Wise Intelligent, Culture Freedom
5 \|"Shakiyla" \|Wise Intelligent, Culture Freedom
6 \|"Time to Say Peace" \|Wise Intelligent, Culture Freedom
7 \|"Style Dropped/Lessons Taught" \|Wise Intelligent, Culture Freedom
8 \|"Speaking Upon a Blackman" \|Wise Intelligent, Culture Freedom
9 \|"So Many Teachers" \|Wise Intelligent, Culture Freedom
10 \|"Word from the Wise" \|Wise Intelligent, Culture Freedom
11 \|"Butt Naked Booty Bless" \|Wise Intelligent, Culture Freedom
12 \|"Poor Righteous Teachers" \|Wise Intelligent, Culture Freedom

class="wikitable"

style="text-align:center;"|#

! style="text-align:center;"|Title

! style="text-align:center;"|Performer (s)

|"Can I Start This?"