Album Review: Ruslan “Right Out Loud” (The Pre-quel)
Ruslan “Right Out Loud” (The Pre-quel)
Released: 2010
Reviewed By: A. Praiser
Committee Rating: 8.8 (of 10)
[xrr rating=8.8/10]
If anyone can flex skills it’s definitely Ruslan of theBreax. His solo project, Right Out Loud (The Pre-quel) is a very good CD.
The intro track on this project paints a perfect picture of who Ruslan is.
“I am just trying to be who I am. Stand for what I believe. I’ll bleed where I stand”
The metaphors and wordplay are superb yet they don’t overpower the messages in the songs. You know what I mean? Sometimes rappers have metaphors and punch lines that, although they are hot, really don’t even fit into their verses. As soon as he starts speaking on this project he’s thanking the fans and humbly saying that he’s not looking for fame but doing what he loves and loves doing this for the Lord.
His verses lead you to feel that he is more of an emcee than a rapper. To me that means that his flow and delivery are captivating and unique track after track rather than letting the music production being the main star of the show.
Oh yeah, on “Hated for Who I Am” he boasts of his skills as an emcee but it never comes across as arrogant. He even goes as far as saying “I’m a monster on the mic, you can’t deny me that”. I have to agree. His subtle and almost subliminal stab at those that praise mainstream rappers was really swift. “… That’s the reason why Carter is such a popular name”
When “Ain’t Ready” kicked in I thought maybe the ipod was on shuffle. The music is a throwback into the hardcore street dancer hip hop mode that would get anyone up on their feet to move a bit.
The production on “Right Out Loud” are definitely well done and are bound to force all producers on upcoming CDs to step their game up.
“Domesticated” featuring Blame One and Braille integrates some clever samples to create the chorus. If I ain’t mistaken, the samples include Bugs Bunny, Method Man and Busta Rhymes. The creativity and musicality of the unpredictable bass line and samples are appreciated for sure.
Taking it into the Motown era, “Alright” starts off like a typical slow jam. I love when artists show their sample in its raw form before chopping it up into the song. Ok, enough about the music. Lol. If you need to be encouraged because of situations you are facing or going through, this is the track for you. Hang tough; “Everything is gonna be Alright”, through Christ of course.
Gotta love the skit / interlude towards the end of “Alright.” Funny guy. He says, if you bootlegged the project, turn it off and go buy it. Lol. That’s keeping it real. Go support artists at their shows, that’s his message in the lil unexpected skit.
The Sean P / Ruslan track was probably my least favorite. I am talking musically at this point cause it’s evident that the theme and message are Christ throughout. The track on this was a lil too old school for me. While it sounds good I can’t see this one as a fit for the project. Tough message in there about homophobia is what keeps you listening. I gotta be honest though, if this was the first song I heard on the project (audio leak or preview) I would not have purchased the full CD.
“Color to the Soul” hits next. If you ever met a person that is super talented yet discouraged because they have been told they “don’t fit the mold”, this song is good for those naysayers. Many times journalists, radio djs, leaders and other artists discourage people from doing what they feel God has called them to do cause it doesn’t fit into “their” definition of acceptable. Thank God for diversity in the body.
“Follow Us” delivers another smooth production with crafty lyricism and a clever team of emcees for the collabo. The hook sounds like it’s lifted from L.I.F.E.’s verse from CMR’s House of Representatives. Good stuff.
The CD ends with Nothing in Particular.. No, for real… “Nothing In Particular” is the name of the song. Lol .. The music video has been on line for a while now and the song is just another example of how a Christian rapper can put out a song about, well.. nothing in particular, and still have a sense of godly morals and values shine through the track.
In summary, you guess it…. CLICK HERE TO BUY NOW… lol… Definitely one that you will be playing for a long time..
Good Job Ruslan (and theBREAX)
Music: 9 of 10
Flow / Delivery: 9 of 10
Lyricism: 9 of 10
Content: 9 of 10
Creativity / Originality / Relevancy: 8.5 of 10
Credibility / Confidence: 9.5 of 10
Personality / Character: 9 of 10
Presentation Quality: 8.5 of 10
Overall Production Quality: 8 of 10
Potential Impact: 8.5 of 10
