Hip Hop Album Review: Talib Kweli & Hi-Tek - Reflection Eternal
January 4th, 2008
Buy Reflection Eternal
After releasing a handful of essential 12″ singles, on various Rawkus Records projects, Talib Kweli and DJ Hi-Tek were on the verge of becoming one of hip-hop’s best-kept secrets. Yet, they’re original incarnation (Reflection Eternal) was momentarily thwarted, as the duo expanded into a triumvirate with the inclusion of Mos Def; and their eventual manifestation as Black Star. While Kweli’s star may have been originally eclipsed by his more charismatic cohort, ‘Reflection Eternal’, will establish Talib as one of this generations most poetic emcees.
In a field of music that sorely lacks role models, Kweli is a rare species, as his edutaining lyricism resounds with a deeper understanding of life that transcends his tender-age. After helping rekindle hip-hop’s social-activist flame with Black Star, Kweli does not aspire to reprogram the masses with ‘Reflection’, just rehabilitate, as he laments on ‘The Blast’; ‘they ask me what I’m writing for/I’m writing to show you what we fighting for.’ In doing so, Kweli is forced to step on a few toes, as with a hint of disgust he questions hip-hop’s moral fabric on ‘Africa Dream’, peep the knowledge; ‘these cats drink champagne/and toast death and pain/like slaves on a ship talking bout’ who got the flyest chain.’ Similarly, Talib & Hi-Tek are a duo that speaks to the disillusioned head, and with ‘Too Late’ Talib captures those years of frustration with one profound hook; ‘nowadays rap artists coming half-hearted/commercial like pop/or underground like black-markets/where were you the day hip-hop died/is it too early too mourn/is it too late to ride.’
While the recent Source awards fiasco has further inflamed the violent, and Godless reputation this artform has been stereotyped with. Kweli discerningly critiques hip-hop’s obsession with death on “Good Mourning” —’you was living for yourself/so you could never be a martyr/life is hard/death is harder/you somebody baby father, someone’s lover/son of your mother’. Yet, it is the diversity of Kweli’s lyrical content that is most inspiring, effortlessly transitioning from pensive numbers “For Women”, and ‘Love Language’, into the rugged underground burners ‘Some Kind Of Wonderful’ and “Down For The Count” f/ Rah Digga & Xzibit.
Though the unassuming, largely minimalist grooves Hi-Tek supplied on Black Star’s debut, longed for a dramatic flair, he displays a remarkable maturation on ‘Reflection’. Reverberating with a discernible Soulquarian vibe, Tek’s loping keyboard wails, soulful staccato claps, and lucent piano loops are sublimely arranged, exemplified by the caressing horn break “This Means You” f/Mos Def, and the wonderfully melodious, yet understated acoustical guitar riffs of ‘Africa Dream’.
While Talib & Hi-Tek’s debut harbors over-ambitious (clocks in at 70 minutes) tendencies, this is a duo that will undoubtedly stain their memory into hip-hop’s collective memory. Welcome to the new generation of Native Tongue speaking.
Buy Reflection Eternal
Filed under: Reviews, Videos | No Comments »
Hip Hop Album Review: Sole - Bottle of Humans
January 3rd, 2008
Buy Bottle of Humans
Where does one begin when dismantling the complexities of the emcee and underground rabble rouser know as Sole? As acting figure-piece of the neo-revolutionary rappin’ transients known to the world as Anticon; the rhyming-mogul Tim Holland has been face to face with the ugliest of criticism for most of his career. So much that often times his actual music might not be the first plop to drop from a shit-talking mouth, if you don’t believe politics and bullshit can thrive below the majors - lend an ear to Sole for truly unabashed testimony. And the article of this testament? Bottle of Humans, the long delayed full length that will surely supply a strong platform for both Sole’s future as well as his Anticonaclastic fellowship.
It wast over 4 years since Sole’s initial step into the arena, 96’s “What It Is All About” LP with DJ/Producer and Portland, Maine neighbor (also Bay Area transplant) Moodswing9 struck a match that still has yet to un-sheath it’s full potential in the Hip-Hop community. 3 years later the Live Poets would regenerate itself to what is now regarded as Anticon, in the process regurgitating several side projects and two 12″s from Sole himself. The melodious depression encased in the album’s opening single “Bottle of Humans” would set the mood for a matured emcee both in content and presence. As he so feverishly states on the blistering album opener “Dismantling Sole’s Ego”, “What the fuck you gonna do to me? I’ve had my ass kicked so many times my spine is aligned with the ability to only exist within my own sandcastle point in time, get it? Shallow threats and knives can’t kill me.” Sole is grabbing the frustrating masses by the throat and it’s never sounded so good. Although when the BPM�s are turned up a bit he seemingly commands even more as exemplified on “I Don�t Rap In Bumper Stickers”. A noggin’ nodder that’ll baffle as only Anticon can.
As the listeners delve deeper into the album they might find that two possible paths can be taken while mapping the range of Sole’s body of work. Tracks like “Tourist Trap Reprise”, “Understanding” and “Sole Has Issues” teeter on the precipice of fun loving braggadocio all the while trapped gleefully in Sole’s ever alluring realm of unusual rhymes schemes and atypical (read - original) subject matter. He deliberates on the latter by saying “I’m tired of paying rent and I’m tired of paying dues and I’m tired of being polite and I’m tired of not falling asleep and I’m tired of morons that say I’m too abstract or I’m too deep, yeah I’m deep, deep in debt, deep in thought, falling off the deep end without a bungy”. But with “Suicide Song” and “Furthermore” our emcee explores a more intangible angle of his scope, ultimately leading to success in well crafted songs that lay richer than the usual 12″ at any given record store. Musically murky at times but always emotional without being basking in melodramatics.
And that is what Sole’s intention is, a willingness to try new things in song proves to be ultimately admirable. While outside of true blue Anticon groupies, every song on ‘Bottle Of Humans’ might not slide with the average head, but given the chance here, by next album those fakin’ jax should of recognized that as the lyric goes, “this isn’t spoken word, it’s the reinvention of Sugar Hill”
Buy Bottle of Humans
Filed under: Reviews, Videos | No Comments »
Hip Hop Album Review: De La Soul’s “Art Official Intelligence: Mosaic Thump”
January 1st, 2008
Buy Art Official Intelligence: Mosaic Thump
A decade had passed in the album-making careers of this trio, hip-hop’s most innovative and highly creative bunch. As the many influences and short-term trends invade and fade out of the rap industry time and time again, De La Soul on Art Official Intelligence, their fifth album to date, carefully embarrass what most emcees tried, will attempt and continue to fail at: 1. Opening the listener’s minds; 2. Supplying a plethora of variety in dance-ready grooves; and 3. Building a new outlook on hip-hop, trend-setting and making history in shaping this artform.
The song opening the album is “U Can Do (Life),” with a simplistic R&B chorus sung by Dave West. Formatted as such, that vintage hip-hoppers may bypass, it’s still a subtle groove liable to rope in the more masses than the ones now attracted to De La Soul in 2000 due to their sizzling new single and video, “Oooh” featuring Redman. It’s proof on this ever-changing and fickle market, that even the most spineless music listeners and radio program directors can ignore the overt glitz and glamour, and hug this underground classic like their lost love. Now with a strong buzz created by “Oooh,” hopefully we are slowly moving away from the artists fakin’ the funk, thus re-marrying authentic hip-hop efforts, minus the clownish step-and-fetch antics of entertaining the average. In fact, their recipe (yet to make public) for getting the party swinging is also prevalent on hot tunes like “Thru Ya City” featuring D.V. alias Khrist. With such an easy-going, sing-a-long chorus and hippie-sounding melody taken from Lovin’ Spoonful’s mid-60�s pop smash, “Summer in the City,” even your Project bricks can appear Legoland-like and a dream to live in.
Whether it’s simplistic B-Boy and B-Girl jams like “View,” destined to sneak into the underground limelight, or “Copa (Cobanga)” grabbing you and your mate to do the cha-cha-cha, the chemistry within all their is geared for the dance floor with excellent results. Enter their Chocolate City when Chaka Khan hangs out in the studio with Posdnuos, Dave and Maseo on a song called “All Good?,” easily fitting for a movie sequel to flicks like Best Man or Soul Food. Reversing the demographic, this time collaborating with Mike D and Adrock from Beastie Boys, a sure shot amongst flip-flop wearing dames and their purchasing-power counterparts is exemplified on “Squat” a cut for wildin’ up in the concert.
There’s such a multi-dimensional focus on this CD within each lesson learnt from the fifteen plus tracks, and splicing it altogether is the three-part �Ghost Weed� skit, which is classic in nature. This running joke that sprinkles the album, shows a new alternative for emcees who need to get weededed to rhyme or for those that hire ghost writers, as Pharoahe Monch, Phife Dawg, and Black Thought show you how it�s done. They balance this humor with their intellect, zeroing in more serious issues like anti-gun messages or simply getting robbed outside the club on �You Don�t Wanna B.D.S.� and �The Art Of Getting Jumped�, respectively.
The R&B vocals attached to a good four tracks may turn some longtime followers away, and the over-extended guest list keeps this mosaic from ever achieving a natural direction, at times feeling like this album is all over the place. But even the hardcore driven “My Writes” featuring the Likwit Crew and other chill-out speaker funk jewels like “Declaration” and “With Me” set De La’s fifth sail for a successful journey against time, sometimes the roughest factor in determining how this trio will arrive at their final destination.
Buy Art Official Intelligence: Mosaic Thump
Filed under: Reviews, Videos | No Comments »