Today’s write up is over Young Genocide’s – ‘Commander in Chief’ project. The short version of the review goes like this. Young Genocide is good at what he does. He has a head full of punch lines and metaphors that he uses to glide over his tracks. His delivery cruises over the beats instead of pushing the beats around. He’s not trying to out rap anyone, even though his verses show that he can clearly do that.

Even with all these weapons at his disposal, Genocide chooses to put together great songs about himself in a very interesting way. There are a million rappers in the world. One of the main things that distinguishes the superstars from the hobbyist is them being interesting. Genocide’s delivery and storytelling allows an interesting look at life through the eyes of a boy becoming a man and building his foundation. He has a song where he talks about not wanting to be involved in street life and choosing one girl instead of playing the field. Who brags about that and can still keep their street credibility? Young Genocide does.

All in all, Young Genocide is one of the great artists in our city who deserves to be heard. His delivery is solid, his verses stick to the subject, and he’s interesting. What’s the bad part you ask? Sound quality. The mix and master on many of the songs make some of the features sound pasted together instead of one cohesive project.

A good example has to be the song he has with an R & B artist where I had no clue what the singer was saying during one portion of the hook because it everything was clashing into each other. Somebody PLEASE let Young Genocide use your studio if it’s high quality and give him proper mix and mastering services. He is a starter, now treat him like one and listen to his project.

Grade: A-

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Today’s review is going to come from my inbox, which is where all self-respecting artists should be sending their project to be reviewed. Email timmay@reupspot.com to get an objective breakdown of your project.

The project to be reviewed is by the Stick Up Kidz and is called ‘Chosen By Destiny’. The very first thing I noticed when I started listening to the project was the fact that the music was different. I get a “party in the backyard” vibe. Very boom bap driven with a new school flow. I usually don’t hear these two come together. And when I have, it didn’t mesh well. However, the Stick up Kidz deliver verses without outpacing themselves. I’m not sure how many members there are, but Stokes stands out a fan favorite with his charisma. His verses are effortless….. in a good way.

He even takes a line he says out of one song and makes a whole song out of it on the same project. You have to be full of confidence to do something like that without worrying about someone noticing. The song is called “Two Pair” by the way, and it’s chill. I’m pretty sure I’ve mentioned that before but I’m listening to the record as I type and I haven’t changed my mood at all. The verse at the end of “I’m Good” also stands out quite for, due to a switch up of delivery. This was a rapper who knew how to rap and have fun.

His rhyme schemes are all over the place and it’s enjoyable to the hip hop head. “Hachuu….nigga fuck you/ Nigga want beef meet me in the lunch room”……funny. All in all, ‘Chosen By Destiny’ is a collection of chill music by an unknown number of rappers called the Stick up Kidz. I’m guessing 4. All of them are able to write raps and get a point across. It’s mostly the same points. I get high, I dress fly, and I get ALL the bitches. The beat selection is what sets this project apart from all the others.

Judging by the music, these aren’t your skinny jean youngsters yelling “Swag” 20 times in their songs. These are skinny jean youngsters who love soul and being high. There is clearly a frontman in Stokes. I would like to see how he grows as time passes. The issue that I saw in the project was that most of the songs were about the same things and could have been left off the project. If I’m going to listen to a group of songs, they need sound different from one another. Or at least they can sound interesting enough to be a memorable song instead of a bunch of people rapping.

Also, every other member needs to step their bars up so they aren’t dwarfed by one person. On Just 4 Ya’ll, somebody said “Girl so hot, nickname should be ready”. There were lines like this riddled throughout the project…..NO. Either way, the project is an easy listen for anyone looking for great vibes and hangout music.

Grade: C+

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Today’s review is going to be about Rob Jay’s – Video Rob is dead. When I first came across this cd, the first thing I thought about was “Who is video Rob?” Rob Jay has a very clear and concise delivery. He wants you to understand what he’s talking about when he’s rapping. He’s not here to win the rap competition of the decade. Instead, he uses his story telling ability on almost every song. And on the ones that he doesn’t, are filled with punchlines.

“And don’t compare me to no other Houston rapper/ He’s no messiah, he’s just John the Baptist” As he states on ‘I’m on the one’. His delivery reminds me a lot of Jay-Z. Very laid back and it makes you have to listen to every word so you don’t miss anything. Very sure of himself and comfortable in the booth, you learn a lot of about Rob Jay’s personality. By that I mean the following. You know how, when you listen to M.O.P., you expect them to be stomping somebody behind a club? When I hear Rob Jay’s music, I expect him to be somewhere explaining reading a book that he wrote about how to rap as awesome as himself.

For instance, there’s a song on the cd called ‘Serious Mistake’ about him having sex with a chick and her getting pregnant. He actually walks through the story on one beat and sounds happy, then another beat drops in and progresses to talk about the surprise pregnancy and he’s sad. I’m sure after he made that song he was like, I could write a book to this shit.

All in all, Rob Jay has the qualities of a great artist. His delivery makes for easy listening and his storytelling will keep any hip hop head busy. There’s even an old school H-Town freestyle which is very enjoyable for anyone that has heard a grey tape. No doubt Rob Jay is a very creative artist. The problem with ‘Video Rob is Dead’ is that it felt like this project was a retirement project.

There’s a song about a fan writing a letter to him. He mentions how the blogs love his work. There are a couple songs on the project that sounds like he’s saying “I’m the coldest rapper that ever lived”. But instead of making a song about how awesome he is, he would do better by just showing how awesome he is. Granted it does happen on a couple of notable songs like “Franchise Player”, “Serious Mistake”, etc. I expected more music to judge for myself since this is the first full project I head from Rob Jay.

Lines like “Got the Hebrew flow, everything I spit is real (Israel)”, gives him a lot of leeway in this area though. Expect punchlines. Expect storytelling. Expect some good songs. Expect some other songs about his potential to make good songs. Expect to want to hear those songs instead of hearing him talk about those songs.

Grade: B-

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This weeks review is over London Wilson’s Bad Habits 2. First thing that strikes me is that London has an awesome rap name and sounds like he’s not from Houston. I’m not talkin about how rappers always say, “I don’t rap like anyone from Houston.” I’m talkin about this dude’s accent, when he’s talking, doesn’t sound like he’s from Houston. But that’s almost irrelevant. What is relevant is that London has the one liners. You can guarantee at least 2 quotable one liners from each song on the project.

That’s a big deal. Some Examples: “Remember me like the Alamo”, “Ya frame of mind too small for the big picture”. And those two were from the same song. Even though his rhymes are his strength, this is not a project filled with endless bars about how awesome he is. He also has songs about relationships. Songs about how awesome he is. Songs about haters. Songs about girls jockin. Etc. It’s not so much about the songs itself being amazing. It’s the thought pattern and delivery of the verses throughout the songs that is.

All in all, London has one liners that will keep any hip hop head intrigued. This is “Everybody shut up and wait for the punchline” rap. “Need more Oprah’s, Michelle Obama’s, and Queen Latifah’s”; nice. By the way things sound, it seems flawless right? Nope. Features sound pasted together. There were times when I cringed at a chorus or a feature, due to the quality not being in sync. Even though that doesn’t sound like a big deal, it is when you’re the person that has to listen to the music.

I would guess that each person used their own studio to record; shouldn’t do that again. London has the rapping down. Even his guests had their rapping or singing down. Now it’s time to work on consistency so the world can enjoy the music the way it’s supposed to be.

Grade: B+

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Richie Roc’s Thinking Out Load Vol. 2 is an easy listen. Comfortable delivery. He keeps things simple and easily relatable. Definitely some driving and/or backyard bar b que music. I didn’t feel like Richie Roc was trying to outrap any of the other emcees, he just wanted to keep the party moving. A very rare occasion in this new underground scene.

Richie is nowhere near predictable though. He touches on all types of subjects throughout Thinkin Out Load Vol. 2. There’s even a track that starts with a Martin Luther King sample where he dives into his views on the current state of the world as he sees it. Notable tracks are Look at me, Supafly, Back up in it, Get up, and Reason Why. “She playin hard ball wit the game I kick”….nice line.

All in all, Thinking out Loud Vol. 2 is a nice body of work to drive to Galveston to. Don’t worry about frowning up your face because some crazy punchline. Instead, trade that for an easy listen. A battle rap lyrical genocide rapper may not respect it, but his lady friends will so he needs to play it. And I don’t mean that in a “Racks on Racks” way. More like a Fabulous hit single way. Keeping it hip hop, but not so damn complicated.

Only issue I took with the project was that there were times when Richie slid off beat and it threw me off. I found myself having to catch myself in mid head bob to get back on track. Don’t get intimidated by the amount of songs on the playlist with 27 tracks because most of the songs are about 2 and a half minutes. There’s even some snippets from the last Thinking Out Loud Vol. 1. His music isn’t life changing but it’s enjoyable to the casual listener.

Grade: B-

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Today’s review is on Roosh Williams’ “Ain’t That the Truth” E.P. Roosh’s delivery is the thing that sets him apart from most artists. He offers great enthusiasm and can switch rhyme schemes at the drop of a hat. “Kickin wit adrenaline, I’m slipping on these new shooes”. Most rappers can’t deliver that line without it sounding forced. Roosh does this with no effort.

Roosh also has a knack for delivering information by way of song. In almost every song, he has an area that says “This is what I think about this”. Although it’s stuck right in the middle of weed references, these “aha” moments allow the listener to learn a lot more about who Roosh is as a person. The deep shit that you learn during documentaries and interviews can be heard throughout the EP.

All in all, Roosh’s main asset is his delivery. He has crazy enthusiasm throughout the EP, even when the things that he’s saying doesn’t necessarily match the emphasis he’s placing on the words. His subject matters range from money, to relationships, but mainly they’re about weed and it’s influence on his life. He is also very punchline heavy with simile driven lines that make you take a second to digest.

Roosh needs to work on writing verses that directly relate to the topic that chorus is about. Sometimes it seemed like he wrote a bunch of verses, found some beats, made some chorus’, and put them in any order he felt like it. Roosh can spit with the best…..we know that. We expect more in the future.

Grade: B

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Notable tracks are “Like a winner”, “StoryTeller”, and what I call “The Temptation song”, where he tries not to knock down his ex while his girl is out. The overall listen is enjoyable but, some of the verses on “It’s my turn” were very redundant and didn’t have much substance to them. Which is really weird because some of them start off so well and fade into obscurity. For instance, in “Like a Winner” he tells this very personal story that grasps the listener, but the second verse is about……..nothingness. Disappointing.

All in all, I think that Mr. Luke’s release has some good subjects but, at some sections, lacks the type of cohesiveness that it takes to gain return listens. His voice and delivery are on point and are very attention-grabbing. He also has a knack for making some really good records. I would just ask for more consistency throughout the project and cohesiveness throughout each individual song. I leave some songs with, “What the fuck was he trying to tell me right there?” This sounded like his first time out the gate, but he’s definitely coming strong. We’ll see how he evolves over time.

Grade C+

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There’s also something else that stands out about Mike though. This dude sounds exactly like Lil Wayne. He even says “Ughhh… that’s gross” on a song called “Take yo Bitch”. Interesting. The subject matters cover topics like grinding, riding fly, smoking, partying etc. Even though this seems like cliché topics, they are very entertaining to listen to. The beats are nice, features fit, vocals are crisp and on point.

All in all. Mike Ro’s Dirty Jobs is full of catchy music for party heads and captains of the football team. Songs like “I hope I make it home”, “Shoulders Back”, and “I’ll take yo bitch” will never leave your mind after you hear them. Did I mention that he sounds like Lil Wayne. He’s not much of a lyricist full of metaphors and aggressive rhyme schemes because he’s too busy getting his point across.

Grade: B

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The overall feel of Young Sensation’s latest project, C.H.I.L.L., has a very relative title. The beats that were chosen have a very impressive vibe with them that forces the listener to sit back and enjoy. This is not party music….it’s chillin music.

His subject matter ranges from trying to figure out how to be noticed by the industry on songs like “What I gotta do”, to songs about describing the after shocks of being drunk the day after the party, in “Hangover”. He has some pretty good punchlines throughout the album that keep the hip hop heads in tune waiting for the next line that catches ears like “Pull out the Mag cause my Vibe is so Complex” and “I can withDraw without tracing”; nice. Although these lines are clever amongst themselves, there are plenty of places on the project that have a lot less sting and questionable delivery. At times Young Sensation sounds like a dude yelling at you over some nice beats. There was also a very huge mood shift when I got to song #6 Winner. It’s a song where he gives an acceptance speech and farewell, but there’s more than 10 songs left before the project is over. I was about to take the CD out before Go DJ Mankind scratched in another track.

All in all. I would say that Young Sensation’s C.H.I.L.L. shows the potential he has to put together some quality beats with good features, and punchlines. There was questionable delivery throughout the project and I had a sense that he wasn’t totally comfortable.

Grade: C+

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Intro
A pretty inspiring clip (wish I knew what it was from).

Ready For Tomorrow
It starts off with a voicemail from a manager giving D. Julien a job offer, which he proceeds to sing “And you know I had to leave that…to do this. Julien speaks on job, money, school, & friend struggles, but regardless he stays ‘ready for tomorrow’. At the end of the track D. Julien sums up the track by saying “welcome to my life”.

World
Clyde Strokes provides one hell of a beat to set the mood on this one. I’ll let D. explain this track though. “I keep my grass cut look out for these snakes here & I keep my both eyes up on this paper. Ain’t worried bout the fame, know that we get it later…”

All I Know
From women, rough living, thinking about his life, cruisin’ down the road, haters, his expectations, music & more… It’s all he knows, he keeps it true in his music.

Vibin’
Jimba Frosty gave D. a beat that he could just be lyrical as shit on & have fun. He spitting about havin fun, women, living life to the fullest, sippin’ on wine (which all his fans should know he loves to do) and vibin’ to the beat of life.

Die
D. Julien gives thanks to the Lord he is still alive out of all his younger homies & shares his love for his family during the chorus on this one. The verses serve pretty much the same purpose, except gets more elaborate on maturing & surviving.

In Life
The second track produced by King I Divine (he also produced Die) is my favorite beat on the project. D. Julien speaks on giving his all to every day no matter the struggles. He brings up certain life events that would break the average man, but with his back up on the wall he keeps two feet diggin’ in the dirt and moves forward. You also hear him mention music over school again.

Mirror Part 2
The first feature on the project comes by Young Scolla spitting some knowledge for the souls with some deep emotion. Oh yeah Bahama Beats is amazing. D. Julien speaks on things that hit home to myself such as; going to college, getting no help with scholarships, graduating with a good gpa but still not finding a job. They both get very political on this track.

Right Road
D. Julien lets you know from the beginning of this track that he is stressed out trying to finish the project. First he speaks on his relationship & music interfering with each other. Second verse he speaks on things that had been currently on his mind from his music direction, real/phony friends & more. In the chorus he is asking everyone in his life if he is headed on the right road… The track ends with voicemails from his manager & girl.

Over You
Break up track, speaking about how he wants to be with his chick but the stress is holding him back.

60 Minutes
My favorite track on the project (for obvious reasons, once you listen). I’ve never heard a 5 minute track switch emotions like this one…best way to explain is to say it is an emotional roller-coaster. D. Julien keeps it 1hunnit.

Hell of a Year
Over an uplifting beat from Clyde D. Julien anticipates having a ‘hell of a year/life’ & celebrating it even though he been down, been broke and been betrayed.

Slow Down
The title explains it all… D. lets gives the listeners a personal insight on his ‘fast life’ & getting a minute to reflect he notices he needs to slow down.

Future
D tells the listeners to now worry about his past or presents problems, but get ready with him for the future. He gives thanks to those who have made his life the way it is in his verses & at the end of the track as the beat rides off. Right before the beat cuts off he reminds you he is READY FOR TOMORROW. This track is the anthem for the entire concept of the project.

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Having listened to a lot of mixtapes in the last 6 months, one thing has become clear…even ‘good’ mixtapes have some awful tracks on them just purely because the track lists are usually so big. Higher Learning doesn’t. As I keep listening I found myself waiting for that average track or pointless filler but it just doesn’t come. The mixtape is perfect. There isn’t a single track I don’t thoroughly enjoy.

I’ll start with the beats and producers Fashawn uses. The tracks are ridiculously diverse, from the smooth “For the G’s” to fast-paced bangers like “Do What I Gotta Do” and even a queen remix thrown in for good measure, the men behind the boys have done an incredible job. Even when borrowing beats from the likes of Common and Kanye, Fashawn still manages to make it his own…I almost forgot what the originals sounded like. Very rarely do remixes of a track seemed like some of the standout tracks on a mixtape. It is this consistency combined with such diversity that stands out for me and stays with me throughout; the delivery is so coherent you practically feel every syllable, it’s almost spine tingling.

In addition to plenty of guest producers, the collaboration tracks are also a delight, particularly the recruitment of the ridiculously talented J. Cole who kills it on the beat as well as in the booth. Every track with J. Cole could easily be a standout track but that would be selling the rest of the track short. Additional appearances from G.O.O.D Music veterans Common and John Legend top of a guestlist that puts My Beautiful Twisted Fantasy to shame.

Being such a pessimist, I had to find something wrong with Higher Learning and my only complaint is the ridiculous shoutouts in some of the tracks that makes it almost seem bootlegged. Given that this is the only fault I could find, I think you may have realised how good this mixtape is.

Because of the quality, It was so hard to pick the standout tracks for this. I love the collab with Common and John Legend in “Strange Fruit”; which has a deeper feel to it than the majority of the tracks. I could have picked any all of the J Cole work but for me it has to be “Relaxation”; the deep bass and fast paced delivery seem like a perfect combination. Finally, “Going Home” is a brilliant close to the mixtape; the beat is a certified head-bopper and it was refreshing to hear Fashawn going it alone, spitting fire in the process.

For a mixtape with no less than 22 tracks this is nothing short of genius, Fashawn has obviously took a lot of time on Higher Learning 2. Instead of just throwing all his material on the mixtape Shawn manages to stick to the Higher Learning theme; something that is a rareity on many albums let alone a mixtape. I really can’t stress how much I love Higher Learning 2; the diversity of both the beats and delivery combined with a consistency that could put OG’s to shame, this is easily the best mixtape if not thing I’ve heard in 2011, seriously why are you even still reading? GO AND GET IT!

The first track “The Rapper & The Poet” is what I would call the heart of truth for the album. It is an introspective and aggressive track that allows new and old listeners to understand A.Dd+’s mission statement. I also like how you can hear the different in the two artists…Slim being the more aggressive out of the two and Paris being the mellow, laid back one. This allows a ying & yang effect, that all groups must possess. The beat is crazy which allows you to get drawn into the track and their sound. The messages of struggle and the life of being a leader and not a follower are the main focus on this track.

Rating: 4.5/5

“Brain Sex” tricked me…I honestly thought it was about that lol. This track demands attention with its high energy and content. Their delivery is consistent throughout the track so the beat’s energy doesn’t outshine them. I enjoyed this track and found it hard to not break my neck while jamming it. This track showcased the hunger and frustration Paris & Slim have been holding in.

Rating: 5/5

“Like A Mug” (ft. Brown of Sore Losers) was the 1st released single off “When Pigs Fly” and it STILL packs a punch! Nothing compares to seeing this performed Live though, sxsw got ignant when this was performed lol. The track has a beat that draws you in before the hook even drops, and the energy of the hook sets the tone for the whole track. “Like A Mug” is a track that will stay on your mind for days after hearing it, which is a plus in my book. Once again you can see the different rapping styles of Slim and Paris and it works for a great track. The track has a fun vibe and brings some light to the project.
P.S -The skit at the end of the track is funny as hell!

Rating: 4/5

“Greedy” (ft. Mz. Fortune) has an up-tempo, feel good vibe to it that any listener would enjoy. I fell in love with the hook after my 1st listen and couldn’t stop snapping my fingers along with it. Although the track is toned down and not as hype as the other tracks, the duo still shows they can do something smooth and give listeners something to two-step to. The track provides a, “get off your ass and hustle” message without being cliché and OVERLY outdone.

Rating: 4.5/5

“The Everyday” is smooth as a baby’s bottom and the lyrics paint an image for the listeners. Slim & Paris describe the different struggles they experience in Dallas and in life. This is ride around the city music for sure and it also makes you think about your life and situations you face. One of my top 3 tracks for sure!

Rating: 5/5

“Mary Go” (ft Picnic Tyme) is def something that will get you butt in the club! The beat and verses paint a picture of a wild party or club scene that I would like to be a part of lol. The duo switch gears on this track and bring the fun aspect into the equation and might I say they pulled it off well. The last verse shows the duo’s chemistry and ability to work as a team on a verse (something most groups lack). You’ll find yourself walking around saying “she got me like YEAH!” after listening to this too many times lol. The feel good track shows a different side of the group and can turn a party or club out with ease.

Rating: 4/5

“Picnic Interlude” all I have to say is, I thought this was 3000 when I heard it Lol. This has a “Love Below” feel to it that will make you press repeat until you learn the words. Refreshing isn’t even the word for this. I just wished they would have rapped on this!!!!

Rating: 5/5

“Erica & Jamie” has to be one of my favorite tracks from the album because of the play on words in the title and the delivery and content. The mellow vibe the beat sets works well with the hook and Paris’ slurred/drunken thoughts. It also makes me wonder if these were drunken thoughts or just a drunken man’s conversation with himself. I think this song is something that most people can relate to and that’s what makes it so powerful. This song has a lot of repeat value and gets better with each listen.

Rating: 5/5

“Slow Tempo” Although the track is short, it packs a hell of a punch. The Duo showcases their immaculate chemistry and ability to switch places on a verse with ease. This track is insightful and is something that touches listener’s hearts. The fast life is something young people want to pursue, and this is the disclaimer that many want to avoid…great message!

Rating: 5/5

“Under” (ft. Dustin Cavazos) is a powerful track that gives me a feeling of flying. The beat and lyrical content work well together to bring the listeners into the lives of the artists on the track. The artists shed their fears and open up their hearts on this track. This is also one of my top 3 tracks from the album. The track is, in my opinion one of the best tracks on the whole album…yeah…I said it! Lol

Rating: 5/5

“I’m So Dallas” (DJ Sober Mix) is for all those who rep Dallas or know anything about Texas music. Outsiders probably would skip this due to a lack of knowledge of the Texas music and culture. The beat behind the mix worked well with the overall presentation. I love when artists pay homage to where they came from!
Rating: 4/5

“Goodwill” has an up-tempo vibe to it but the lyrical content is still present which will keep you hooked to their messages. Again the duo opens up their hearts and minds on the track. Slim & Paris both tap back into the art of giving people something to relate to on this track.

Rating: 4/5

“Satellites” is an energetic track and reminds me of “Mary Go”, but I think that it appeared too late in the album. I say this because the album made a transition from energetic to mellow and deep. Even though it threw off the vibe of the album a little it’s still entertaining and I wouldn’t mind partying with some white chicks to this. “Bang bang….bang bang” (Paris voice)

Rating: 3.5/5

“Smell My Cologne” (ft. Money Waters & Picnic Tyme) is straight P.I.M.P. limp, sip with your “panky” in the air music. The laid back track will make you feel too cool for damn school, true story! This is grown man music and if you’re 18 and under…you won’t understand what’s going on! This mixes old school southern music with new school charisma.
Ps-Slim killed the interlude at the end

Rating: 5/5

The last track “Southbound” is energetic and showcases the southern pride the duo hold dear. The hype track will have you riding around with your windows down and system up. The delivery on the track is amazing and switches up throughout the song. I would love to see this track performed live! Maybe I’m being bias because I’m from the south…eh…eff those who don’t understand! Lol

Rating: 5/5

Overall the album is good and deserves a listen; I was surprised by their change in beat selection and direction. Who says Texas is all about dance songs?

Contact Info
http://divehiflylo.com/
http://twitter.com/ADdplus
http://twitter.com/GravySlim
http://twitter.com/PICNICTYME

The first thing any listener will pick up on is how unbelievably uplifting the hooks are; Just Waking Up is packed with ‘Hope filled rhythm’s’ and Mike makes no apologies for the amount of positivity he incorporates in his lyrics, rapping in “Following Dreams”:  And there ain’t no stop to this// I can’t help it I’mma omptimist// And I’mma make your head bop to this. He certainly wasn’t lying; this tune is infectiously upbeat and tracks such as “Ready for Me” and “Rise & Shine” also provide a similar feel.

After repeated listens, I started to notice the variety in Dreams’ delivery; usually you would expect an emcee to have signature style but with Mike there is a very broad range, something that I actually found refreshing. He is able to seamlessly switch from the incredibly laid back feel of acoustic treat “Waiting for Something” ft. Toyebi to a wittier, more up-tempo delivery in “Wave to ‘Em”. Not only is his flow impressively diverse, “Up Here” and “Bigger Than This” illustrate Mike’s ability to really go in when appropriate although I have to say the production could of been a little ‘darker’ on these tracks, given the fire Dreams was spitting.

Despite such diversity from Mike, the same unfortunately cannot be said for the overall concept of Just Waking Up. The beat seemed to be almost constant throughout the album and there wasn’t a great deal of variance in theme. This meant that I found the album length a bit too much; 17 tracks of positivity is a lot to stomach in one sitting.

The album, to me seems to be focussed around catchy choruses yet Mike Dreams manages to pull this off due to the number of amazing vocal artists he has included, particularly the brilliant all-rounder Dominoe Chyea. Tracks such as “Can I Have a Second” and “Got It Locked Down” are the best examples of when a cameo really works on the album; beautiful vocals and a laid back style are the perfect compliments to each other. I would have perhaps like to see some of the vocalists replaced with some more conventional samples but I suppose that’s just being greedy!

What I love about Just Waking Up this is that it could easily be enjoyable background music but at the same time if you chose to really listen to it you will also be pleasantly surprised at the amount of depth a lot of the songs carry, providing the purists with hours of deciphering pleasure.

Standout tracks of the album I would have to say are “Waiting For Something” and “No More Trouble” which has a brilliant reggae feel to it. This doesn’t necessarily mean they are the best tracks of the album but they do provide a welcome break from the intensely happy, pop-y hooks.

I enjoyed it when I first listened to it, respected it as I listened more intensely and liked it a lot after multiple listens. Unfortunately, being a bit of a pessimist myself, I’m not sure if I could handle all the positivity on a day to day basis! Nevertheless, an excellent ‘pick-me-up’ after a stressful day.

The tape starts with a short intro, which is pretty cool and introduces the CD well. You sort of get a feel for what is to come. The thing that I really like overall about Renzo’s music, is it’s just some quality, grown folks music. He discusses real topics and issues that he, and others, deal with in every day life.

The song ‘Stupid Broad’ is a typical Renzo song, talking about real life and sharing common sense advice. The chorus is hilarious also. (A take on the popular “Super Star” song) Next up is the local hit, ‘Drinkin and Drivin’. This is for sure aimed at the drinkers, which I personally am one. If your a drinker, your going to love this song.

On Drinking and Driving, as with most of Renzo’s songs, he also sings the hook. Now, I’m a terrible judge of singing. I generally dislike singing, so I’m not the best to speak on the quality of someones voice. That being said, I’d say his voice is decent. So he probably won’t be the next American Idol, but the choruses will be catchy and original.

‘Get To High’ talks about always staying grounded. (Though based on the title, I thought it was going to be something else.) Good track. One of my personal favorites is “For Yoself”, which talks about people looking at themselves before blaming everyone else for their problems. (Though, I wish he had as much energy on the recorded track as he does when performing this song live.) He also has a track dedicated to his Wife, which is cool, and generally not something seen in Hip-Hop.

Overall, if your a fan of honest music with an actual message or point, and a sense of humor, I’d suggest checking out Renzo’s “Understand This”. And if your in Houston, come check him out live in concert at the Killafornianz CD Release Party, this Friday March 25th @ Walters on Washington. (Doors Open @ 8pm) We’ll be there to cover the show.

Download a Copy of the Mixtape from Renzo’s Bandcamp

An extended overview & review of Lupe Fiasco’s long-awaited third album, “LASERS”

Hello world. So, I haven’t positioned myself in the journalist chair for a while. I guess life occurred, as well as continuing my plight for follow my musical ambitions and dreams. I have some great things underway for 2011, but as always, I’m also a connoisseur of music and try and stay up on what’s going on in the scope of the music industry, especially with my favorite artists. As most know, Lupe Fiasco is just about my favorite rap artist, period, coming in with close competition such as Eminem and Kanye West. I am a writer, but most of the times, I don’t abide by the rules of unbiased journalism. If I have an opinion, and a general admiration for an artist, that’s definitely going to be reflected; though those who trust my opinion, will know it’s not just blinded by those facts. I still try and look at everything for what it’s worth and critique from that standpoint. I guess that was simply my disclaimer. Now, let’s begin to talk about one of the most anticipated hip-hop/rap albums in recent years, “Lasers”

Overview

Cutting to the chase, before I even begin breaking down each song, let me just say my opinion overall on the album. I consider this album to be a triumph and a win for Mr. Wasalu Jaco. It was a bittersweet win, and a gruesome journey, but a win nevertheless. If you’re a true supporter of him as an artist and a person, it should be a win for you as well. I also cannot respect you if you call yourself a true fan, but you say this album SUCKS. SUCKS is a very strong word, and I’m quite sure your sentiments are misguided in your critique. I’ll elaborate on that later. What are the main oppositions I’ve been hearing about the album from people who have heard it? Of course, it’s the expected “this is not our classic Lupe”, and “the beats are too pop” and even the highly ludicrous “he sold out” comments. It pains me to read this, because overall, the album is not bad at all. It’s NOT “Food & Liquor” or “The Cool” by any means, but it’s a Lupe album. What does that mean? That means it’s still going to be a pretty incredible piece of listening material, contrary to everything else.

Now, watching the interview by Lupe about the process of this album is what’s going to put things into perspective for you. He said a lot of things were a compromise between him and Atlantic to finally put out his 3rd studio album. Overall, he “loves” the album, but hated the process. Remember, if he completely was opposed to this album, he would have disowned it completely. Even within all the politics and the idea of Lupe making “popular” sounding music, I remember in a piece of writing that I hail as one of my favorites, Lupe has been the most recent example of being a vanguard of infiltrating a mainstream music industry while simultaneously staying true to him. To even try and fathom how he survived in such a vicious and shady industry this long is really difficult. He has been the true definition of a rebel, and been a great inspiration to those who want to fight the system to change it; not just fold hands to a niche market or take the easy way out by saying “This industry is evil, and that’s why I choose to stay underground”. He defied these odds in 2007 with “Superstar” and “The Cool”, hitting Top Ten Charts, and even having his album be #1 on the Billboard Rap Charts for 9 weeks straight. Could it be that Lupe had figured out a way around the system? In many ways, he did; but I should have known it was too good to be true.

In the initial interviews I saw regarding “Lasers”, Lupe mentioned that the album would have a popular, expansive sound, while still being very positive and uplifting; a term I dub as “content progression”. What I’ve liked most about Lupe from jump street is that he’s not “in the box”. I’ve spoke on “hip-hop purism” in the past, and how I basically despise it, because it’s generally promotes a movement of people who look down upon advancement and progression within the genre. Some of their opposition is rightly justified, due to the amount of crap put out, but at other times, they’re simply throwing the baby out with the bathwater. People tend to identify the “underground” with “staying true” and the “mainstream” with phoniness. The thing about Lupe is that he always resided cleverly between the two. He didn’t settle for textbook, boring mixtape beats; he traded those for a diverse set of productions, cross-genre ambitions and wasn’t afraid of large choruses, that complimented his content well. When “Shining Down” dropped, you can see that he didn’t waiver from this plan. The intent of “Lasers” was going to be big-sounding records, with classic Lupe content. Why? Because Lupe was well aware of what it was going to take to have longevity in this mainstream industry, and had found a middle ground; not to mention the fact his taste was very diverse in the first place. “Shining Down” was a record I felt could have done fairly well on radio and the charts. Lupe had secured a loyal fan base already, and the song still had mainstream appeal. The problem was the label, being overly afraid and so driven by making sure they had music that followed a specific formula and was guaranteed to make money, not even paying attention to the shift in the sentiments of music fans, who desired more real content. There was a market for that. There was now a lane. I’ve never been a part of the industry at all, but I could tell you that.

So after all of that; what do we have? We finally get “Lasers”, the long-awaited album. Knowing about all the politics and everything, let’s simply just speak about the music and talk about why I believe the album was still incredible. Considering everything that he went through to put this album out, the actual music isn’t nothing less than remarkable. This was the epitome of flipping a bad to good. This time, it was less about Lupe showing how he’s one of the best lyricists to ever touch a microphone, with highly complex stanzas and rhyme schemes. But he’s already proved that to us anyways. This album was personal, and was more about Lupe sharing the stories of his struggles to be the kind of artist he is, his battle with music industry politics, society and his own self. It was a very personal record, in the same vein of Kanye West, Kid Cudi and Drake’s latest projects; a subject matter that has actually become much more popular as of late. So why wouldn’t you want to allow Lupe a chance to let you see into his soul; all his faults and his ambitions to overcome them?

This is about the human being, Wasalu Jaco. It’s not necessarily a body of work to show how dope this artist is (but it does that anyways). It’s about showing who this man is as a human being. But here’s the thing: If you’re a hip-hop purist (meaning you don’t really like progression in the original sound of hip-hop), you won’t like this album. If you’re not a fan of music (that includes pop music as well), you won’t like this album. If you can’t seem to commend an album for stellar, sincere content because it just might also simultaneously have a generally “current” sound, with danceable, likable tunes that have the potential to actually have mass appeal, you won’t like this album.

At the end of the day, I can just about guarantee that the only way you can justify saying that album wasn’t great is if you came into the whole process hoping to hear “Food & Liquor” or “The Cool”. It isn’t those albums, but it’s better (and will be better) than most likely all of the “rap” albums that come out in 2011. If the only current competition with Lupe for this record is OLD Lupe, I think that says a lot. You can dislike the album and say it’s not the Lupe you may have been expecting, but it’s far from the “suck” category by any means. As a matter of fact, in my opinion, it’s not even in the ballpark of bad; and is one of the best hip-hop albums to come out in recent years, in its own right, in spite of all things considered. I’m willing for defend these claims.

Track-By-Track Breakdown

“Letting Go”

This was the opening track on the album, and featured Lupe’s long time collaborator, Sarah Green. The production was nothing less than eclectically superb. (A producer I’m not exactly familiar with, named “The Future” was behind the boards on this one. Let’s just say his producer name is most likely great prophecy…) It had the alternative feel that Lupe was no stranger to. Lupe mentioned that 4 to 5 of the original records he made for “Lasers” had made the final cut. Now, I don’t know if this was one of them, but either way, it certainly didn’t sound like a “conformist” track forced upon him by the label. What was different about it though, was that Lupe became very personal in it. In the past, Lupe has always presented quite a strong individual stance, and served to be more of an informer, teacher and intellectual. This is one of the first times I’ve heard him speaking on his personal demons; not hidden behind a character or concept album, but literally speaking about the man, Wasalu Jaco. He speaks about how becoming a successful rapper began to take a toll on him, because as a person, he has so many desires to help the world positively, but somewhere along the line, he began letting the shallow ambitions of awards, money, status and accolades define “success” for him. The self-identification and vulnerability is very commendable. Lupe discussed some topics I feel some of his musical peers have also faced, failed and denied in recent years. Lupe actually acknowledges and externalized his flaws, and this song is like a step towards his acceptance and shift towards continuing to try and be his true-self, and being proud of that.

“Words I Never Said”

This song has been out for a little while, and I really don’t need to say much about it. It’s one of the most controversial “mainstream” rap songs in a long time. I am personally a fan of Alex Da Kid and Skylar Grey (I’ve actually been a fan of Skylar Grey since she was Holly Brook). She’s worked with Lupe in the past, on the Mike Shinoda [Fort Minor, Linkin Park)] collaboration, “Be Somebody”.) I honestly believe if we didn’t know anything about the politics behind this song, none of Lupe’s fans would be complaining about it. This is one of Lu’s best controversial songs, speaking directly against the “system”. It’s clearly in the same vein as “American Terrorist” from his debut album “Food & Liquor”, just packaged a little differently. Some may not like the popular production and chorus style, but the funny part is; this seems like a record Lupe would have made on his own in the first place. The “Alex Da Kid/Skylar Grey” sound has recently just became popular, and beforehand, was actually considered “alternative”, and this is a sound Lupe’s dabbled with in the past, with records such as “The Instrumental” or “Streets On Fire”, so it wasn’t completely foreign for him. I think the criticism stems from this sound being a popular sound now, and people always thinking that opposing all things popular defines being a rebel. Sometimes a good sound is just a good sound. The popularity of it shouldn’t discredit it’s quality. Lupe has never been a stranger to the big sound and the rock-influenced vocalists. In spectrum, this is one of the best songs to come out in recent years; and I hope it does well. Who do you know makes a “hit potential” song with this much honesty, embodying the raw idea of “speaking your mind”? Forget all the other B.S behind and around it; listen to the lyrics and understand how monumental of a record this is, culturally.

“Till I Get There”

Now I heard this song in a video snippet months ago, and couldn’t wait to hear the full version. What I began to admire about this album as I continued to listen to it was the irony of all the records. It’s ever-so prevalent on “Till I Get There”. What you get here in a very simple tune, with a nice, bouncy, friendly beat, and not really any super lyrical raps from Lupe. What you do get is Lupe speaking about his current situation; with the label and his position as an artist. The world (and more specifically, the industry) is telling him what fame is supposed to be; and he just isn’t that. But the problem within him comes when he should be proud that he isn’t their definition of fame, but for some reason, it’s not fulfilling, because that’s just the way the world presents it to him as. Overall, the record is a self-reflection of his perception of fame, and telling the ones listening with ambitions and himself simultaneously that through all of the drama and “them” telling you who you’re supposed to be, always stay true to yourself. It comes off from a position where Lupe still isn’t fully sure himself, but he’s once again externalizing the idea, and putting the positive idea out into the atmosphere; continuing to fulfill his duty to inspire the world, while still dealing with these things personally in his life.

“I Don’t Wanna Care Right Now”

Now, as I mentioned above, I’m not sure which records were original “Lasers” joints, and which ones were the label-influenced ones, but I inquire that “I Don’t Wanna Care Right Now” was most likely an original Lupe record. Most of his collaborations with MDMA I believe were his own conceptions, since they’ve worked closely in the past (see “We On “; the collaboration with GemStones & “Hi-Definition”). I believe this was one of Lupe’s attempts to simply be expansive with his sound. Why shouldn’t Lupe have a song that can get people on their feet dances and bang in the club? The first thing I thought of when I heard the chorus drop was Taio Cruz. But this was not a bad thing. I’m a fan of Taio Cruz (who writes and produces all of his own music, might I chime in; a musicianship trait most people tend to overlook about certain artists, since they disregard pop music all together) The problem people have with this doesn’t lie in the fact it’s a bad song. It’s a dope song, that’s catchy, rhythmic, and doesn’t compromise anything lyrically by Lupe. People have a problem with it because it may take THEM out of their comfort zone, for those who are anti-pop everything, mostly for the sake of being anti-pop everything. Once again, that sounds like a personal problem to me. One of Lupe’s favorite rap artists, Blu, said it best. “Underground rappers like to chill at the club too…”. Though Lupe is not an underground rapper; he’s usually hailed as it’s representative within the mainstream, so I believe this line applies to him too. Sometimes, you just don’t wanna care. This has to be the best backdrop music for not caring that I’ve ever heard…

“Outta My Head (ft. Trey Songz)”

Lupe was personally biggin’ this song up on his Twitter and social networks, and mentioned in an interview it was a record he tracked out and personally acquired Trey for. It’s nothing less than dope. He’s been no stranger to songs to appeal to females. (See “Sunshine”, “Paris, Tokyo” & “Go Baby”), except this time around, he took a more straightforward approach, rather than a figurative, interpretive one like he has in the past. Metaphorical female songs are all good, and welcome all the time; but sometimes it’s okay just to say “Lady, you’re wonderful, and I want to let you know you’re wonderful.” I can never shun anything showing positive admiration for the female species. As for the song itself, the production blended smooth synths with hard hitting percussion and an highly addictive chorus by Trey Songz; who’s at the top of his game right now. You can’t deny a hit record. This is certainly one. I really do hope it’s selected as a single. I can see this definitely becoming big. Hip-Hop songs for females aren’t unheard of people. It’s really that simple. True lyricists still are allowed to like women, love and admire a lady who has caught their eye. There’s something strangely unsettling about anyone hating on a concept like that; especially all the so called “heterosexual” males I’ve been seeing disliking it. Let me just hand you a remote, so you can pause yourself in advance.

“The Show Goes On”

This honestly will still be one of my favorite records on the project. The tune once against perpetuates the irony of the whole album. This was a forced single that Lupe had to do. He took the song, and talked directly about his situation with Atlantic Records. “Have you ever had the feeling that you was being had? Don’t that sh-t just make you mad? They treat you like a slave; put whips all on your soul and put chains up on your back, they be lying through they teeth, hope you slip up off yo’ path. I don’t switch up, I just laugh; throw my kicks up on they desk; unaffected by they threats, then get busy (a double meaning by the way, as in literally getting to work, and getting “DJ BUSY”, Lupe’s Atlantic cohort, on the case) on they a**…”. The song has done decent on the charts (just about cracking Top 40), was featured prominently during this year’s Superbowl, and once again is a great example of Lupe taking a negative thing, and turning it into a positive thing. The song was one of the truest joints on the LP, that reaffirmed Lu’s concern for individualism, and also the young generation following their dreams. The production shines here, no doubt, but even if that’s not your cup of tea; just listen to the lyrics then. Something’s gotta give…

“Beautiful Lasers”

This was easily my favorite record on the entire album. I had the honor of hearing this live in Minnesota here, at the show Lupe did at Gustavus College last April, and took some footage of it. In the same vein of “Letting Go”, except a bit more deeper, Lupe faces his demons head on and talks about his mental state, battling depression and suicide in this tune. This was one of his original LASERS records. Easily the most personal song Lupe has ever done. You have to commend this brother for letting us look into his soul and hearing these things, and well as continuing to access the current situation he’s directly engulfed in, as well as just discussing the reality of the system vs. the people. “Sometimes living in the world like this, it’s pretty hard not to go insane; not pretty if you don’t comply, pretty easy if you don’t complain…” Real fans and supporters of his music should be uplifting this type of honesty, yet all I keep seeing is complaints about some autotune on the hook? Um…what? So you missed all of the part of the song that was one of the most candid Lu joints of all and just heard that? I personally was initially annoyed by the autotune as well, because I remember the live version sounded so raw and clean; but there’s still no arguments here. You weigh the pros vs. the cons, and the pros definitely win here.

“Coming Up”

I must say from the get-go, I was loving the summer-esque, 90s feel good jam production that this joint had. This is once again a collaboration with MDMA, so I’m thinking this is a Lupe original. The first verse was to his sisters, continuing to uplift them and their ambitions as young women, as well as coping with the passing of their father. You don’t hear many rap artists trying to uplift the younger generation of females anymore. The song was just an overall, feel-good joint that people should definitely be able to ride out to this summer, with undeniable realism from Lupe, that further exhibited his reasons for rapping. “In my day, I did a lil’ somethin’ somethin’; they like “How come you don’t rap that? ‘Cuz that’s a backtrack, & I ain’t trying to back-back…”. Lines like that stuck out for me; and should clear up some things for listeners who don’t know that Lupe is from one of the worst parts of Chicago, and came into the rap game as a “gangsta” rapper, promoting violence, drug-dealing, and all of the cliché topics so many modern rappers have made music about. They should come to respect more of what he’s doing after understanding that. It establishes that he can fully understand and relate to all of that “detrimental” music, but he’s just choosing to do something different, and approach it more positively.

“State Run Radio”

There wasn’t a record more ironic on this album than “State Run Radio”. The entire song was about how the radio just doesn’t play real music anymore. I’m in a Mass Communication course at school right now, and I was just reading about this. We studied the history of radio, and how it shifted from the times of DJs breaking revolutionary records, to things being taken over by corporations when deregulation of station ownership occurred around 1996. All while Lupe spoke about the ills of the nature of the industry, the production and hook on this joint was highly addictive, and “radio-ready” if you will. Alanis Morisette would be proud..

“Break The Chain”

This record wasn’t a favorite of mine on the album, but still served to be a highly addictive listen. It was almost unneeded, but a quality song nevertheless, just continuing to promote the message Lupe has been pushing for the entire album. I dug the production by Ishi, and Matt Mahaffey did his best Mr. Hudson impression on this one. It’s a song I really like, but still can’t get past the fact the album could have done without it. Sway’s verse was nice; but there was nothing that really stood out. The trance-like production and the haunting chorus is what stole the show here. You can literally get lost in the song sonically, and sort of drift off into a daydream state with it. To me, all the records prior to this were needed. This record COULD be defined as filler. But if you’re going to have anything be filler, I’ll take this record. I’m sure this will do well overseas, which I believe was the intention of it. Don’t sleep on the production of this joint. If you’re a fan of quality European production, you’ll like this.

“All Black Everything”

This is the record Lupe called one of his favorites, if not the most favorite period. Lupe’s been the one to conceptualize in the past plenty of times, with joints such as “The Cool” from “Food & Liquor” and many other songs that landed on the extended concept album “The Cool”, based on the original song. This time around, Lupe talks about if slavery never occurred and a history devoid of racism, and how that world could have been. The concept was really something cool to think about, and I can’t recall any hip-hop artist in recent years doing something like that and touching on this topic. The dreamy production by The Buchanans was equally as good as the content Lupe placed over top of the song. This song was certainly closer to “classic Lupe” than anything else on the album; a concept-based, socially-conscious story, with the ultimately goal to promote a more positive society and view upon the world.

“Never Forget You”

Lupe closed out the album (aside from the already leaked bonus tracks “I’m Beaming” & “Shining Down”) with the John Legend assisted cut, “Never Forget You”. Now, Lupe acknowledged this was also a label-forced song; but he had worked with John Legend in the past. Regardless of how it came about, the song was very soulful, and John Legend’s vocals were very powerful as usual, as Lupe used the canvas to elaborate more on his upbringing, in Chicago, and touch on the negative influences around him that he was able to overcome through the teaching and guidance of his late, great father, who he cites for being a very big inspiration for him coming up as a boy. The song is similar to “Fighters” on Lupe’s previous effort; and is presented as sort of a memorial to his father. Overall, it reflected quite a refreshing way of therapy for Lupe to cope with the passing of his father, by remembering the positive influence he had on the world and on him as a person.

Conclusion

So after this 4000-word overview and breakdown of this most anticipated album, what’s my point? What am I trying to say? It’s this; Lasers is certainly different from Lupe’s first two efforts; both content and sound-wise, for the most part. We know this is directly because of the label’s influence. But even through all of that, Lupe was able to put together a very cohesive and good album; that still never compromised his beliefs in the content, and his initial desire of have it push positivity. Plus, all while doing that, he continued to be a rebel within his own circumstances, and never really backed down in his original goal and fight against the label. This album was equivalent to a somewhat conquered soldier at war, being a prisoner, and still talking big about the mission of their country all while they’re in captivity. All things considered, the oppression upon the release of this album may have made this the most positive album that Lupe has actually put out, because the topic had to be overly promoted, due to the circumstances. The entire situation is almost unheard of in modern music. Lupe had to fight to put out this body of work, and the people, his actual fans, had to protest. This was a victory, that was the first of its kind in the rap industry, and probably even the music industry completely. Lupe faced the system, and came out with a few scratches, in the form of a couple comprises of the SOUND of his album. Like I mentioned previously, to me, that is a WIN. Every rapper will always have their classic albums, and usually, in the mind of a fan, it’s difficult to necessarily to live up to the standard your own music has set.

You’ve seen people criticize artists in the past for lack luster albums, in comparison to their previous efforts (such as Jay-Z’s “Kingdom Come”, or Nas’ “I Am”) But looking at the body of work by itself, without comparing it to other Lupe albums, it’s nothing less than incredible; and still what is expected of an artist with so much concern to make progressive hip-hop music within the mainstream music industry. For anybody to say it SUCKS, to me, is a fully sensational critique of it; based on your inability to listen to it and not try and battle Lupe against himself and previous works; your lack of expansion outside the box for your listening tastes, or the fact that you’re not really a Lupe fan in the first place. Anyone who calls themselves a “fan” and who viewed this entire process, understood what the man went through to put the album out, and listens to the masterpiece he still put together through all that, literally being a prisoner within his own album, and still getting the point across of his rebellion to the system and being a progressive influence on the genre and culture, and turns around and complete disregards this album and decides not to support, was never a fan in the first place.

With that being said, I say THANK YOU Lupe Fiasco, for being the rebel that you are in this mainstream music industry and triumphing over these many trials you had to go through to simply present the truth through your music to the world. Trust me, this is a true example of VICTORY. Now that you’re finished reading this, go ahead, refer to this effort as me “riding” Lupe Fiasco, being a Stan or whatever other euphemism you want to come up with. I could care less. As I fan and a true supporter of anyone doing something from the heart, and battling with the powers that be to put something out for US; the people, I will go to bat for them. At the end of the day, justice to me is when all things are considered before making a snap decision on a project that took so much anguish and difficultly to complete, and I certainly wasn’t going to sit around and let the modern attitudes of the fickle generation of music listeners, who still don’t clearly know where they stand as far as what they really think is REAL in modern music, and let them pan this album off to the left. All of the real and reasonable people who support this man’s efforts, and understand how vast of an accomplishment this was, for hip-hop, for music, and for the freedom of speech and thinking in America.

As the [dead] P.O.E.T.S mentioned in there interview with us, most of the album was produced in-house, mainly by Vice Gripp. The production is great throughout. Like a lot of Psyko South projects, they work in movie quotes, and other samples throughout the production. There sample choices went really well with the tracks, and the overall theme of the album. The title track, Front Toward Enemy, is a good example of their style of hard-hitting wicked beats.

The lyrics are pretty solid through out the album. As their bio says, they’re a hardcore hip-hop group, and that is exactly what their lyrics are. Wicked shit, with a solid grasp on lyricism. They’re all hip-hop heads, and you can tell in their writing/delivery styles.

They’ve got some great features on this album as well. Already mentioned Popa Wu on the intro, and they’ve also got Rock from Heltah Skeltah, K-Rino (South Park Coalition), Esham, Quan, Liquid Assasin, and more. The ‘I Will Find you’ track with Esham is sick. Bangin beat and really aggressive lyrics/delivery.

The track ‘Just Gimme the Money’ featuring Rock is another good one. I had been waiting to hear this track for a little while. They got Rock on a very appropriate song.

They also touch on corruption and politics, as they like to do, in ‘Only in America.’ Their track ‘Beauty of Death’ ft. Quan & K-Rino is another great track. K-Rino, Houston Legend, kills it on this. The P.o.e.t.s where on point, and the flow and delivery of this song was cool.

Overall, solid release. If you like wicked shit, your going to love this. Also, if your in Florida, make sure to check out their upcoming tour dates.

Here is a sampler below of the album. Also be sure to check out their site to get your digital copy, which drops March 1st.

The project is engaging from start to finish, and BURNTmd manages to avoid sounding like anyone else- quite an accomplishment given the over-saturation of the hip hop market these days. It’s also obvious a lot of time and consideration went into picking the guest artists, which include: Phil The Agony, DJ Green Lantern, Copywrite, Akrobatik, Planet Asia, Strong Arm Steady’s and Krondon.

No doubt, good guest appearances make this a solid debut, but the real strength of Let’s Get Ill is the production. With input from Illmind, J.Glaze and Reef Ali, the beats run the gamut from mid-90’s style, loop-heavy swing to 70’s soul groove…also quite an accomplishment given rap seems to be recycling the same three beats all over the radio. The variety is ear-pleasing. “Ill Words” (feat. Copywrite) has a gritty, old-school vibe, and BURNTmd takes his time and delivers each line with ease, while Copywrite shotguns his rhymes with speed and accuracy.

Hands down- my personal favorite of all 9 tracks on the EP is “Stand Back” (feat. Krondon, Phil The Agony & Planet Asia). I liked it instantly. I have to admit, I totally lost track of the lyrics cuz I was busy noddin’ my head and feelin’ the beat. I did manage to catch the hook though…”24 hours of power /7days of light rays/365 ways/ to get money/who said crime don’t pay/hey before your ass get hit wit a stray/ stand back…” It’s not often that I take my fingers off the keyboard to jig with a song, but the beat is like going to church. Definitely a classic…the break at the end is ridiculous.

“Soul Snatchers” (feat. Phil The Agony) is one of the best collabos on the project. The drums are mad fly, but then I have a thing for drums…long story. “Rap City”, a clever play on the word “rhapsody” (which is evidenced by the ethereal harp strain that loops behind the vocals) is…unique. The rhymes don’t quite match the music, but I can appreciate the effort.

“Microphone Doctor” could easily have been on the soundtrack of any Pam Grier, 1970’s blacksploitation film, although I’m imagining it would have been good for “Shaft” as well. Good stuff. “Stand The Rain” (feat. Akrobatik)poses a lot of very good questions about real life, and offers some perspective on perseverance…”it’s like I’m under attack though/ government at the front door/nosy neighbors at the back door/bill collector at the side door/which do you choose when you got a family to provide for?”

The East Coast influence on the project is undeniable; as overall, Let’s Get Ill has a sort of Wu Tangy feel to it, but with less clang and far less choppiness. My conclusion is that Vermont now has more to brag about than Ben & Jerry’s.

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The title track “No Gimmicks”(Prod by Jahlil Beats) won me over, as I was initially on the fence. But, seeing as how I’m a sucker for down-to-earth lyrics, Jerz had me with the opening lines…”I’m in the booth right now- no chain, no watch, no Nuvo, no champagne, no earrings…no models/matter of fact it’s no gimmicks…” He goes on to clarify his standing in the grand scheme of the hip hop lifestyle…”The game on four flats/take that thing to Maaco/Don’t know what you into/let me tell you what I ain’t tho/never bust a hammer- I ain’t never did no time/I don’t fill up my grammar wit no dictionary rhymes/ain’t got no cool dance to upload online/my city know my name/they well aware of my grind….marvelous. The video’s pretty cool as well: simple, but effective.

“After This” (feat Young Simmons) is already an internet hit. The track puts a catchy new twist on picking up chicks in the club: “Baby girl, let me break it down just what you in for/ you gone leave that lame alone once you see that I spend more/ pool full of dollars- go on girl, swim to shore/ put you in that coupe with them ‘I don’t wanna live’ doors/suicide-you decide…” Very clever…might just get him the digits. (I’m pretty sure people still say ‘digits’…right? I’m never sure of these things).

“Costume” (feat K2- Prod by Mylkeyz) is chill and laidback. The buttery soft and well-blended harmony is a plus, and “Feelin’ Life” (feat K2- produced by Young Jerz) is easy to listen to. Just a warning: the intro on “Wanna Be” uses autotune, but don’t worry- it’s well worth pushing past it…”I Like Her”(featuring Sickpen and Neako), and “I Can Feel Your Heartbeat”(featuring Rockstar and Nu Jerzey Devil) are also notable.

It baffles me that artists like Young Jerz are without deals while I can’t turn on my radio without hearing Timbaland do horrible things to his own beats (that’s no diss- I just like his songs much better when he stays in the background). Thank God for technological advances and free downloads. I’m just sayin’…

Looking forward to hearing more from Young Jerz in the near future.

To further add to my shame and embarrassment, I had a hard time placing some of the beats (usually a simple task for a radiohead like myself) but that’s a good thing. Even though Ramz does his thing over beats from Big Sean, Donnis, Jay Rock, Freddie Gibbs, Fashawn, J Cole and others; I found myself spending more time listening to the lyrics than concentrating on the music behind them, which should redeem me somewhat, as I am also a serious word-junkie. But enough about me….

I’ll start with the last two tracks: “150%” and “Get Right To It” for no other reason than that they’re the best on the project. Ramz shines on original production that showcases his natural and flawless flow. I freely admit to playing them more than once…which says a lot for someone with musical ADD who keeps the cursor fixed over the “forward” arrow. But again- enough about me.

“Turbulence” on which Ramz successfully and permanently murders the beat of Whiz Khalifa’s “This Plane”- is also an unexpected treat, although I’m sure my sisterhood card would be revoked if I didn’t mention that I cringed a little bit when I heard the line: ” Supply a quick flow/so I can get dough/for my niggas and spread ‘em around like germs/and raise the stock value of my sperm/so girls will let me put my balls on their sideburns….” Ummm…okay then. But Ramz’ occasional slips into the vulgar do little to detract from his rather colorful vocabulary and impressive timing.

“More Sober Thoughts” is deceptively smooth, relaxing you into a groove as it provides some insight on a struggling rapper’s attempts to escape reality…”just let me escape from the fate/this reality can break a nigga/and I don’t know how much more I can take/I relate to my niggas rollin’ weed, sippin’ Henny/ cuz we lookin’ for good times but we ain’t getting any…” It’s nice to hear the truth for a change. The slide into slow-mo at the end is pretty cool too.

Although some of the lyrics on Frankenstein are a lil “mannish” for my taste (e.g. “now I don’t wanna go out shorty/don’t give me a call/ unless you planning on lickin’ my balls”…classy), I’m definitely a fan. It was certainly a bonus to get to the end of a mixtape and not be sick of it. I’m most definitely looking forward to his upcoming projects: Frankly Speaking and Quite Frankly.

From the front to the back, Frankenstein is an optimistic look at what I only hope will become the norm in hip hop. I’m just crazy enough to think the tide is turning and P. Diddy’s days on the mic are numbered. After 10 years in the biz- I don’t think it will be much longer before the self-proclaimed “reality rapper” can buy his moms that house down South. Hope springs eternal…

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According to Martins: “We named this project ‘Channel Surfin’ as it generally represented people and their short attention-spanned nature. Each song serves as a ‘Channel’ each different from the last song and so forth. The goal was to collectively mash them together to create what we have here.”*
I must concur that Channel Surfin’ follows the theme throughout. You can actually picture yourself holding a remote and flipping through each track, complete with static, interference, beeps, buzzes and all the sounds that represent the presence and flow of electricity.

The crazy thing is that each of the songs reminds you of something you may have heard before but can’t quite place- like a show you’re watching and you can’t quite remember if you’ve seen that episode before, but that’s not a bad thing. The whole album has a totally 80’s groove that takes those of us who are old enough to remember back to Space Invaders, Pac Man and Pong. The familiarity eradicates that awkward feeling of listening to something new and lets you ease right into the tracks like comfy slippers.
The album grabs attention with “Foals [remix] ft. BK Cyph, and then gets a little too “synth-y”, barely straddling the line between music and noise. Thankfully, things pick back up with the bouncy “Buy It” Ft. RaTheMC, who makes a fabulous guest appearance. “Veni Vidi Vici” (and the re-mix ft. rapper Big Pooh and Emilio Rojas) is also authentically entertaining. “Cloud 9” is definitely the standout. The airy beats and summery flow will make it a hot-weather hit.

The whole while you’re listening to the album, you’re constantly hearing echoes of Kanye, Lupe, maybe a lil bit of Wale; but the energy of Channel Surfin’ is unique to Theo Martins. His flow is crazy. Anybody who can rhyme “double entendres” with “I race against the clock cuz it’s now upon us…” gets my vote…crazy. (“You Don’t See” ft. Jesse Boykins III).

Quoted in the April edition of The Phoenix Magazine, Martins explains why he doesn’t rap about Phantoms, video hoes and piles of money. He explains: “My environment, my dreams and my aspirations all combine into forming my writing style…simply put- I can’t speak on things I don’t know of.”
And that’s when keeping it real goes right…for a change.

* Quote taken from the artist’s website: imjusttheo.com

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