A2G |
Blazing Arrow
If rap was all about production, then these
guys would be the pinnacle. Everything on this album sounds
good. None of that ghetto, bleeping and blooping shit. No samples
off the VCR, taped from the radio or done on some 1984 Cash
Money Crew Casio keyboard. The stuff just sounds smooth. Luckily
for these fellas, not only is their production bangin'; their
rhyme skills are tight as well. Did that sound Source enough
for ya? Honestly, I think this is what hip-hop was meant
to be. None of this crap about "In Da Club" and
"I Ride Spinners" and crap. It's about time somebody
brought some musicality to the game. Afterall, aren't people
getting sick of the Pac-Man samples, Billy Squire beats and
rehashed Sting songs? |
The Craft
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Melodica
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NIA
I'm too stupid--and white--to understand
the whole Nia, earth mother theme going on here. Apparently
"Nia," meaning purpose, is one of the seven principles of Kwanzaa.
It is defined as making our collective vocation the building
of our community to restore our people to their traditional
greatness. I'm still not sure what's going on, but what I do
know is that these guys can put together a good tune. Like a
lot of underground stuff, it's not about the guns, rims and
bling, but more about the word play and poetic feel of rap.
It is also about the business of hip-hop and its pitfalls and
hang-ups. In some ways it is the logical evolution of De
La Soul's Three Feet High and Rising. I wouldn't
call the album militant, but there is a very spiritual, pro-black
message in their songs--something that seems to be missing in
a lot of hip-hop today. These guys draw their influences from
a lot of different places, and use a ton of samples that you
won't soon hear on another album. Despite the run time being
a little long, this is a solid debut and points to great things
for the future. |
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