Applejaxx “Back to the Future”

Applejaxx  “Back to the Future”
Released: 2009
Reviewed By:  E Pluribus Unum
Committee Rating:  2.96 (of 5)

Rating:  

My first listen to the album had me wondering what in the world I had gotten my hands on.  Please note that the album didn’t have my full attention for the first listen, which is my customary “Let me just take a sip to see what I’ve got” kind of experience.  When I turned up the volume and got focused for the “true” first listen, all was made clear.  What first sounded weird became appropriate when I realized from the first track, this is Nureau Ink.  All of a sudden the musical style, the content, the flow of the album, and even the, “Back to the Future”, title made perfect sense.  Indeed, the apple hasn’t fallen far from the tree.  The “Menace Tree” is back.  That’s not a cut down, by the way, it’s a shout out using there own terms from a past project.

Normally when you hear someone speak of abstract art, they are talking about a painting.  This album (and other Nureau projects) is abstract art to the hip-hop realm.  The production sounds like all the ingredients you normally like in your music are tossed like a salad and put in different places just to mess with you in the name of innovation.  This album is Picasso on wax.  Every song isn’t to this extreme mind you, but you will either like it, or you won’t.  It’s raw and unapologetic.  That’s just the style to expect here.  With all of that being said, I didn’t like this album.  I forgot to mention that the intro and outro sound like a soundtrack for a movie, unfortunately it is totally unrelated to the rest of the project.

Applejaxx doesn’t really do anything lyrically that impressed me or made me smile.  In fact, I was crying foul when I heard “805” feat. Kimme where he recites lyrics (8 bars worth) that were originally spit by Tonex at least 10 years ago, almost verbatim!  True enough, Applejaxx comes from the same camp.  I assume he had permission and he probably did it as shout out to pay homage or something.  It just rubbed me the wrong way, knowing the average listener has no clue where it came from and it appears to be original when its not.

The content is there, but it’s almost in code.  Through slang and second and third meanings you will find the message of Christ or something uplifting.  Only a few songs portray the gospel plainly.  Outside of a few songs, Applejaxx puts just enough spiritual punch-lines in each song to remind you that you are actually listening to a Christian album and that’s about it for the most part.  Just like the cereal, Applejaxx hardly gave me any nutrients to chew on.  Seriously, if you’ve ever heard someone rhyme on one of Tonex’s songs in the past, you just need to copy that and paste over and over and you have this album.  I wasn’t surprised by anything.  The abrupt switch to the smooth sound of #9 (which was nice), then a drop back into the otherworldly concoctions of the crew was all expected.  Does different cease to be different if it’s predictable?  Maybe not, but I sure felt like I had heard this all before.  That’s not the bad news.  The bad news is, I’ve heard a good representation of the Nureau Ink style, and this wasn’t it.  But hey, everybody is a critic.  I’m just the guy who wrote the review.  Peace and much love.

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Review Committee
Review by:  E Pluribus Unum

Rated by:
B.Davis – Avg Rating:  3.75
DJ Guardian – Avg Rating:  2.05
E Pluribus Unum – Avg Rating:  3.09

Chris Lee “Kryptonite”

Chris Lee  “Kryptonite”
Released: 2009
Reviewed By:  Brad Davis
Committee Rating:   3.7 (of 5)

Rating:  

Smiles and perpetual head bopping.  This was my reaction to Chris Lee’s “Kryptonite.”
I’m always hype when HC sends me an artist I’m unfamiliar with, especially one that bumps the usual suspects (insert generic underground backpacker, theological rapper) out of my iPod playlist.   Chris Lee, an R&B artist in the vein of the prevailing acts in the mainstream, drops one heck of an introduction.

For starters, this album has top-flight instrumentals.  The head bopping was not just a joke.  Musically this was as crisp as could be.   Can’t say I personally heard a groundbreaking melody, but nearly every song was done in excellence.  “The Flood” is highlighted by trance-inducing synth to accentuate the pathos of Lee’s from-the-heart cry for God’s presence in the midst of the storm.  “We Are Christians” excellently contrasts with an aggressive pounding drum and guitar combo supporting Chris’ low-key flow (oh, I forgot, he sings and raps!).  Though there were some slight missteps (the calypso- tinged “Radio” should have never made the cut), it is nothing more than an oopsie in high-quality dopeness that is all over the production.

Strong theme of dependence on God, the regret of not giving Jesus to his friends, and maintaining his faith in hostile environments blend very well with his charismatic vocals.  The aforementioned “We Are Christians” closes out the album perfectly.  In this excellent “anthem-track,” Chris and his fellow emcees give a provocative memo to anyone who claims to scrutinize their love for God because of urban sounds or creative expression.  It was done in good taste, and I’m glad they said it.

I seriously don’t have much critique about this project.   I mean, I don’t like “Radio”; I like or love everything else. Give this one a shot, you can send your thank you email to me later.  How’s that for a conclusion?

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Review Committee
Review by:  Brad Davis

Rated by:
B.Davis – Avg Rating:  4.1
DJ Guardian – Avg Rating:  3.36
E Pluribus Unum – Avg Rating:  3.63

R-Swift “Anthem”

R-Swift  “Anthem”
Released: 2009
Reviewed By:  DJ Guardian
Committee Rating:  4.34 (of 5)

Rating:  

That man is back!  No, not me. I am wholly unimportant.  I’m talking about Mr. R the Swift, R-Sweezy, R-Swizzle, R – (smack!)… um, sorry… Got caught up there.  The Philly bred street grime rhymer is back with his unproliferated, unapologetic, unabashed, unadulterated – (smack!) sorry again – edgy style to ‘tell it like it is’ with the “Anthem.”

R-Swift sets it up right off the jump with the intro “Swift Box” referencing the very dilemma that several Christian artists with a street edge, like R-Swift, have had to deal with in Christian music:

“He spits Jesus so he ain’t for the street/ He spit Jesus so he ain’t for the church/ I won’t let a man’s words measure my worth/ or compare the depth of the work…”

And don’t let the music box at the top of this same intro throw you either.  One of the great things about Swift is that he has a strong balance of musicality, delivery, message, creativity, lyricism, theology, street and texture while still having a familiar and appealing sound.  The ability to be hard and soft, deep and yet superficially interesting, street and yet churchy and be real while being educational is an extraordinary feat few have ever accomplished. R-Swift now has, and throws in some touches of comedy to boot – “And boxers don’t fit me right, I ain’t having it.”

Soapbox, R-Swift’s last album, may have some mixed reviews from people of different tastes.  Maybe Anthem will as well, but I don’t know just quite how.  For good measure on this subject, Swift makes it a point in Swift Box to reference his last album and some of his cuts from the album for those who may be astutely alert.  But this is also, in a way, to show that this album and its sound isn’t that much different than the last.  Sure, it’s a little sharper, a little more well rounded, and a bit better but that doesn’t mean the formula changed.  Nope, it just got a little better.

Sometimes, however, to go forward you have to look back or sideways or sometimes both.  As such, one of my favorite tracks is “No, No, No.”  Some of you might know the original reggae tune by Dawn Penn originally called “You Don’t Love Me (No, No, No).”  Others might merely know the hip hop remix by Jae Millz – or any number of other artists who jumped on this cut after Jae Millz.  Others may have not been fortunate enough to have heard this tune before.  Regardless, this was one of those tracks that just always seems to produce hits, whether in its original form or a remix.  Well, this version is both tastefully done –  with Swift singing the classic hook – and fresh including features from Jahaziel and Sho Baraka and a reggae breakdown with featured artist Monty G.  This is a sure fire classic track and by far my favorite.

Yet, that’s not the only stand out track.  Track 2, Anthem, takes a page from Soapbox’s “Breatha,” but with a bit more of a aggressive edge that reminded me of Mash Out Posse (M.O.P.).  As tracks go, this is right up there with some of my all time favorites.  Yet, this kind of extreme aggression is immediately balanced by the next track, a laid back story of the street.  Both of these styles have become favorites of R-Swift fans and Swift certainly is capable and willing to deliver.

The reality is, each track stands out on its own in some way and fashion and all are appealing and well done.  Take “Mr. President” for example.  The DJ cuts are exquisite and the hook is definitely Anthem’ic (got me creating words Swift) much like the previously mentioned “No, No, No.”  Track 9, “Shattered,” too presents a brilliant soul sample for another quality silky smooth yet serious story track (featuring Eric Westbrook).

Swift even does as other previous Christian emcees have done of late, bring in real life, personal, tragic examples.  In “Held Me Down,” Swift recounts the troubles in his family as a child as well as the loss of his own son and much of the emotion and story surrounding it as well as the unexpected return of his own father into his life and how the birth and loss of his own son helped serve as a bridge.  A certain type of respect should be garnered for individuals such as these who peel back the wall of entertainer/superstar and real person.  Few would brave sharing something so personal and so tragic, yet stories like these tend to serve as inspiration, reassurance and encouragement for others who suffer their own tragedy.

“Trap Muzik” has a popular southern styled beat along with Swift’s raw east coast delivery which just seems to work brilliantly.  But don’t think it’s simply a club track.  Trap Muzik is a serious cut masked as a club track.

If you want a collection of street emcees that are too often overlooked in Christian and secular circles look no further than “Back Up,” which features Jaz and Young Joshua.  Here’s a track that has it all: street, lyricism, evangelism, banging beat, sick delivery and well its just kinda sick.  But just in case none of this album seems to be churchy enough, despite smooth tracks and theological tracks, there is always the final track of the album.  “Awesome God” is probably the best use of this classic worship song in a hip hop track ever and certainly church friendly if there ever is a need to be specifically church friendly in a hip hop track.

So what does all this mean, SUCCESS!!!  This is a great album that aught to register highly with long time and recent fans of Swift and is highly recommended for those fans of Christian hip hop whom have not had the opportunity to hear R-Swift before.  This is also an album I would highly suggest for those who evangelize to cats in the street and use music in that process.

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Review Committee
Review by:  DJ Guardian

Rated by:
A Praiser - Avg Rating:  4.65
DJ Guardian – Avg Rating:  4.5
E Pluribus Unum – Avg Rating:  3.88

This’l “Chronicles of an X-Hustler”

This’l “Chronicles of an X-Hustler”
Released: 2009
Reviewed By: Bradford Davis
Committee Rating: 3.61 (of 5)

Rating:  

Chronicles of an Ex-Hustler is a heartfelt love letter to the hood. More specifically, it’s a earnest plea for people stuck in the ghetto lifestyle to accept the hope found solely in the risen Lord. In a genre where being gangsta and hustling is put on a pedestal, this concept is nothing short of spectacular. Even further, in a Christian sub-genre that’s in love with being “hard”, littered with cornball emcees that attach Christian liturgy with hood slang every chance they get*, concept albums like these are near-vital. Unfortunately, the lyrical execution was not as strong as the direction of the message. Some increased artistic polish and creativity from This’l could have made Chronicles of an Ex-Hustler album of the year. But instead, it’s a solid but not spectacular album that I still recommend most should give a shot.

*Seriously, I’m tired of Christian rap gangstas. Absolutely sick of it. Jesus did not die so we could “push the Rock”, “hustle the Gospel” “shoot demons with my spiritual gat”, (I’m sure you all have heard analogies similar to this at some point) and so forth. I doubt redeemed life in Christ called us to glorify the lifestyle He’s more than able to pull us out from.

At it’s apex, Ex-Hustler can convict and touch you like few rap albums. “Picture on a Shirt” was particularly moving. The theme hits on a far too frequent ghetto scene. Namely, when a young person dies (especially when murdered), many families place their fallen loved-one on a T-Shirt in remembrance. This’l bears his heart about the grievous results of hood life, pining for a day when youth wouldn’t be pictures on a shirt.

Tight production follows the closing track, “I Ain’t Turning Back.” Victory horns and a well-implemented 808 (gasp!) follow This’l and fellow Midwesterner Flame as they spit about the freedom they’ve found in Jesus and the absolute promise that they’ll never need to indulge in ghetto-mentality. Flame gives a dope articulation of his redeemed change of mindset. It’s an potent message dropped on a banger.

“Where will we go? Back to our grave?/Leave a castle for some shackles and being slaves?/That don’t make no sense, no offense with the statement, man!/That’s like a Jew begging for concentration camps/That’s just like us blacks begging for segregation back!”

As I mentioned before, his lyricism won’t catch you. This’l doesn’t drop a lot of clever metaphors or complex schemes. More often than not, he gives the “nursery-rhyme ABC123” level of wordplay. It’s pretty rare to find two-syllable couplets on the project. Featured artists Flame and Blair Wingo (a spoken word artist that drops a fantastic poem in the interlude “Identity Shift-Brothers”) drop significantly stronger lyrics than This’l, which one never wants to see happen on your solo project. Once again, improvement here would have made such a difference.

Despite my fairly large disappointment with the quality of rhyme, I did enjoy This’l. As he grows as an artist, there’s no doubt that he could release plenty of well-rounded masterpieces. As for now, it’s a pretty nice listen, and an absolute must for those that can identify with his background.

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Review Committee
Review by: Bradford Davis

Rated by:
B.Davis – Avg Rating: 3.25
DJ Guardian – Avg Rating: 3.88
E Pluribus Unum – Avg Rating: 3.83

KJ52 “Five Two Telivision”

KJ52 “Five Two Telivision”
Released: 2009
Reviewed By:  E Pluribus Unum
Committee Rating:  4.1 (of 5)

Rating:  

It’s been a long time since I’ve heard a complete KJ-52 project so I was eager to see what his new album sounded like.  KJ-52 hasn’t missed a beat.  In fact, he’s gotten better.  The word-play is strong and evident throughout the entire album.  I love the humor.  The content is on point and displayed in innovative ways.

The overall sound was definitely a surprise.  The album is aptly named “Five-Two Television.  I say this for two reasons: 1) There are 24 tracks on this album and only a handful are interludes.  2) Just like cable, there is a variety of options for your listening pleasure.  On some songs I felt like I was listening to Green Day, but then one song (Fuego) had me feeling like I was listening to Pitbull.  That is just two examples displaying the range on this album.  Seriously, if you can’t find some music that you like on this album, I don’t think you like rap.  Outside of country, folk, and classical music it seems like the self-proclaimed “Tweezy Man” touched on it.  (Shaking head) We’ll call anything hip-hop now-a-days.  Ha, just kidding!  Hey Tweezy (can I call you Tweezy?), could you do some Gregorian chants next time?  The interesting thing about the diversity of the album is that KJ-52 seems genuine on each track.  From 80’s style music to dance tracks, he doesn’t seem like he’s forcing any of it.  He sounds very comfortable in each style.  In short, I’m impressed.

KJ-52 changes channels on this album quicker than a couch potato on speed.  He goes from “Picture”, with a pop sound to a dance track called “Shake it Off” that could’ve easily been used on the movie “You Got Served” and fit right in without hesitation.  I promise I’m not scratching the surface here people.  I’m trying not to be long-winded.  This is just an example of what he does throughout the entire album.  What’s the catch?  Well, if you only like one style of music, you’ll be skipping a lot, looking for the next song that fits the bill for you personally.  But every song, in its own way, is done well.  Yes, even the “Tweezy Dance!”  I was laughing so hard when I heard his mock of auto-tune.  Young Tweezy has range that would rival Larry Bird.

Five-Two Television reaches out and touches your heart on “Broken People” and just when I thought the album was coming to a close, KJ out did himself with a classic called “Dear God.”  I don’t use the term “classic” loosely.  KJ ends strong with a knock out punch that made the rest of the album pale in comparison.  He really did out do himself.  For awhile I couldn’t listen to the rest of the album.  I just put number 24 on repeat…for a few days.  Yeah, I’m serious.  KJ-52 has given the Christian rap world an album to look up to for years to come.  Five-Two Television…who would’ve thought such a silly title could make such a serious impact.  But hey, everybody is a critic.  I’m just the guy who wrote the review.  Peace and much love.

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Review Committee
Review by:  E Pluribus Unum

Rated by:
B.Davis – Avg Rating:  3.45
DJ Guardian – Avg Rating:  4.19
E Pluribus Unum – Avg Rating:  4.65

Humble T.I.P. “About Business”

Humble T.I.P. “About Business”
Released: 2009
Reviewed By:  Bradford Davis
Committee Rating:   3.51 (of 5)

Rating:  

T.I.P. = To Increase Praise.  After spinning “About Business,” it’s clear that Humble’s T.I.P. is driven to see his acronym communicated through his latest release.  His main aim always points back to Jesus and a need for him.  His message is strong, and his heart seems right.  Still, despite the props he absolutely deserves for the blazing hot truth he dishes out, the music could use a few matches.

When the artistry is close in quality to his content, one can see the makings of a dope record.  For example, Humble T.I.P. has some ill punch lines scattered throughout the release.  When you hear stuff like “The kid been redeemed since 1 A.D./ My life been redirected, I did a 180,” or “You married to a curse, Ronald Reagan and you Nancy,” (both lines from “J. Beat Box”), you can see the potential for a sweet mesh of Gospel and good-emceeing.  That just doesn’t happen enough.  See, T.I.P.’s a punchline rapper, but I don’t think he’s a very consistent one.  He doesn’t compensate for this issue with insane rhyme schemes or out of the box concepts.  So just like a so-so stand up, when the jokes aren’t making you chuckle, things get real old real fast.

The 808-driven (probably over-used) instrumentals rarely inspire or evoke a whole lot of emotion.  Honestly, there isn’t much about that which hasn’t been said before.  Like any instrumental style, there are creative and/or catchy uses, and moderation of a particular style helps.  T.I.P. doesn’t really find that balance, nor do his beats add anything fresh to the game.

Hands down, the best track on the album is “My Pride.”  If you recall, the message he gives is as strong as it gets.  “My Pride,” exemplifies this, as T.I.P. addresses his own battles towards living out his moniker.  If you’re at all like me, you’re wondering “Geez, if he’s so HUMBLE, why does he gotta boast about it in his stage name?”  Well, this song expresses his earnest desire to grow into the humility that God calls us all to aspire towards.  Tremendous song.

All in all, if you go out and cop “About Business”, you’ll hear a genuine man that does express an earnest desire to act out his album name and stage persona.  But, if you’re like me (and really, not everyone is), you’ll hear lots of so-so lyricism and beatsmithing.  It can be catchy, but infrequently captivating.  There are hints of a great record in there, but “About Business” has far more average than awesome.

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Review Committee
Review by:  Bradford Davis

Rated by:
E Pluribus Unum - Avg Rating:  4.29
B.Davis – Avg Rating:  3.15
DJ Guardian – Avg Rating:  3.08

D-Maub “The Follow Up EP”

D-Maub “The Follow Up EP”
Released: 2009
Reviewed By:  E Pluribus Unum
Committee Rating:  3.48 (of 5)

Rating:  

D-Maub comes out swinging with “Get Loose” and I thoroughly enjoyed it.  The track brings so much energy and his lyrics match the track perfectly down to the break down and slow flow for about eight bars.  This was a wonderful change of pace.  I definitely got loose on this one, or at least I tried.  You may laugh at my dance moves, but this song is no laughing matter.  I rarely want  to dance when I listen to songs –I try to stick to head-nodding- but this one was too krunk.

The Follow Up, as a whole, is a pleasure to listen to.  D-Maub brings it lyrically from start to finish.  Since I’m not familiar with his past work, I was left guessing which emcee on the track was actually him at some points, though.  “I’m a Slave” is another banger.  The fast rapping (aka twisting) put me at a crossroads though.  As a lyricist, I acknowledge that repeating the same thing makes the style much easier.  This takes away from the actual skill level required (aka fun/challenge/whatever you want to call it) to writing rhymes like this.  But from a listener’s prospective I have to admit that it was actually a positive.  It’s still pleasing to the ear and for those who struggle to understand the lyrics; it’s actually easier to understand what’s being said.  Considering we’re spreading the Gospel, that’s a huge plus.  So, I give this variation of twisting two thumbs up.  Besides, the only thing that separates rap from speaking is the entertaining/intriguing way we say things.  I guess the listener is always right.

With all of that being said, this EP is definitely worth the purchase…and thensome (I just checked the price).  His flow is consistent and catchy.  His content is on point.  I’m eager to here more from D-Maub in the future.  But, everybody’s a critic.  I’m just the one who wrote the review.  Peace and much love…

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Review Committee
Review by:  E Pluribus Unum

Rated by:
B.Davis – Avg Rating:  3.2
DJ Guardian – Avg Rating:  3.25
E Pluribus Unum – Avg Rating:  4

Tha GIM “Eternal Sonshine EP”

Tha GIM “Eternal Sonshine”
Released:  2009
Reviewed By:  APX
Committee Rating:   3.84 (of 5)

Rating:  

Tha Gim is one of the few consistent emcees out on the west coast to hold it down on both the musical aspect as well as the personal integrity aspect of music ministry.  He has several albums out, along with his most recent effort, “This iz my Life,” under distribution with Infinity Music Distribution.  Tha Gim has also been featured on the “Holy Hip Hop 4” compilation as well as Kurtis Blow’s “Tha block iz Hot,” both of which were physically distributed nationally.  This particular project is entitled “Eternal Sonshine” which is not only a hip hop type of misspelling but is actually a play on words…his FREE EP often speaks of himself as the son of a strong woman who raised him through various obstacles.  The other part of the meaning of the title includes him being a son of God.  This EP is apparently a prequel to a forthcoming record, and as it stands, if this prequel is any indication of what should be coming, definitely be on the lookout.

Tha Gim leads off with a track fittingly titled “Tha God in Me” that basically describes his name and how it’s “more than a name.”  The track is catchy yet hard and edgy, produced to a sound that fits Tha Gim’s voice and delivery.  It’s evident that this track was chosen to be the leadoff record for a reason.  You can hear Tha Gim’s hunger and zeal to clear any confusion about his approach to this music ministry.  “Game Over,” the second track, also showcases Tha Gim’s witty rhyme metaphors, but falls short on the spacey, futuristic, Jetson-like voice effect.  The beat is decent and offers a different sound but with Tha Gim’s rough and rugged style, the stellar lyrics get lost in the music simulation.  On the other hand, “All that I Am” is probably one of the better songs on this EP, and quite frankly, its one of the more solid songs I’ve heard Tha Gim put together in terms of pure heart, emotion, theological infusion, and honesty.  Tha Gim cries out “Dear Lord, you are all that I am…” and you can tell that he’s not just saying it.  The marriage of this particular beat and his voice inflections, paint a clear and honest portrait of where he is in his relationship with the Lord; totally given over to God.  “Get Rich” is a decent track and plays on the word and concept “rich,” something we’ve heard often in holy hip hop.  “Higher” is another decent track that’s vintage Tha Gim, with standout metaphors like “Lauren told you though, it all falls down.” It’s a FREE EP so he cuts it short at the 6^th track with “Home Coming” which actually serves as a perfect song to end off at.  The way the record is produced, at mid-tempo, with samples, high violins and an east coast feel, it wraps up this particular offering, yet leaves the listener wanting more.  And that’s exactly where I’m at with Tha Gim…excited about what he’s got coming soon.  Tha Gim tells his mom “I’ll see you when I get there” the message of Eternal Sonshine clearly ringing through his vocals and the violins.

Honoring the Lord, Tha Gim presents a solid EP, and does so with grace and skill worthy of an eternal sonshine on the countenance of God.  If you’re a fan of Tha Gim, you’ll enjoy this record.  If you’re looking for a groundbreaking, hip hop culture shaping record, it doesn’t quite reach that realm, nor do I think Tha Gim was approaching this album with that in mind.  I applaud him for this honest rendition of what his life is like and what his mindset is.  I’m certainly looking forward to hearing what Tha Gim has got cooked up for his next nationally released record. 

Tha Gim is one of the few consistent emcees out on the west coast to hold it down on both the musical aspect as well as the personal integrity aspect of music ministry.  He has several albums out, along with his most recent effort, “This iz my Life,” under distribution with Infinity Music Distribution.  Tha Gim has also been featured on the “Holy Hip Hop 4” compilation as well as Kurtis Blow’s “Tha block iz Hot,” both of which were physically distributed nationally.  This particular project is entitled “Eternal Sonshine” which is not only a hip hop type of misspelling but is actually a play on words…his FREE EP often speaks of himself as the son of a strong woman who raised him through various obstacles.  Ther other part of the meaning of the title includes him being a son of God.  This EP is apparently a prequel to a forthcoming record, and as it stands, if this prequel is any indication of what should be coming, definitely be on the lookout.

Tha Gim leads off with a track fittingly titled “Tha God in Me” that basically describes his name and how it’s “more than a name.”  The track is catchy yet hard and edgy, produced to a sound that fits Tha Gim’s voice and delivery.  It’s evident that this track was chosen to be the leadoff record for a reason.  You can hear Tha Gim’s hunger and zeal to clear any confusion about his approach to this music ministry.  “Game Over,” the second track, also showcases Tha Gim’s witty rhyme metaphors, but falls short on the spacey, futuristic, Jetson-like voice effect.  The beat is decent and offers a different sound but with Tha Gim’s rough and rugged style, the stellar lyrics get lost in the music simulation.  On the other hand, “All that I Am” is probably one of the better songs on this EP, and quite frankly, its one of the more solid songs I’ve heard Tha Gim put together in terms of pure heart, emotion, theological infusion, and honesty.  Tha Gim cries out “Dear Lord, you are all that I am…” and you can tell that he’s not just saying it.  The marriage of this particular beat and his voice inflections, paint a clear and honest portrait of where he is in his relationship with the Lord; totally given over to God.  “Get Rich” is a decent track and plays on the word and concept “rich,” something we’ve heard often in holy hip hop.  “Higher” is another decent track that’s vintage Tha Gim, with standout metaphors like “Lauren told you though, it all falls down.” It’s a FREE EP so he cuts it short at the 6^th track with “Home Coming” which actually serves as a perfect song to end off at.  The way the record is produced, at mid-tempo, with samples, high violins and an east coast feel, it wraps up this particular offering, yet leaves the listener wanting more.  And that’s exactly where I’m at with Tha Gim…excited about what he’s got coming soon.  Tha Gim tells his mom “I’ll see you when I get there” the message of Eternal Sonshine clearly ringing through his vocals and the violins.

Honoring the Lord, Tha Gim presents a solid EP, and does so with grace and skill worthy of an eternal sonshine on the countenance of God.  If you’re a fan of Tha Gim, you’ll enjoy this record.  If you’re looking for a groundbreaking, hip hop culture shaping record, it doesn’t quite reach that realm, nor do I think Tha Gim was approaching this album with that in mind.  I applaud him for this honest rendition of what his life is like and what his mindset is.  I’m certainly looking forward to hearing what Tha Gim has got cooked up for his next nationally released record.

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Review Committee
Review by:  APX

Rated by:
DJ Guardian – Avg Rating:  3.59
APX - Avg Rating:  4.13
E Pluribus Unum – Avg Rating:  3.8

Cheno Lyfe “Home”

Cheno Lyfe “Home”
Released: 2009
Reviewed By:  E Pluribus Unum
Committee Rating:  3.65 (of 5)

Rating:  

Cheno Lyfe brought us Home on this one. This album has all of the components you look for in a project. Fast songs, slow songs, and even a song for the ladies (#9-“Beautiful”) are available for your listening pleasure, which makes the album pretty cool. The album starts off with a charged intro where Cheno Lyfe is rapping pretty fast. He doesn’t pronounce some of his words well, but the flow eventually evens out. The album has a different overall style than this song presents, so it’s not really a good introduction to the album. I’m glad he slowed the flow down, because the fast flow wasn’t really clear cut and didn’t seem to fit him. My overall take on the album is that it’s not bad, but it’s not great either. Cheno Lyfe stays in the pocket on this one, but never gave me that long bomb down the field to catch and run with. He gains a lot of yards on “Gotta Be Me” (#3), “Beautiful” (#9) and “Touch the Sky” (#10). I even have a love/hate relationship going on with “White Rag” (#13). Why? Have you ever listened to a song that’s corny and catchy? That’s why. I can’t help but sing it. The message is great, and the song is pretty diverse. Matter of fact, I’ve probably listened to that song more than anything else on the CD, but don’t tell anybody. OK, in all seriousness, I guess I should just call it a good song, but that’s no fun. All I’m saying is this is not the type of song you would play when you’re rolling with the guys. The style of this album is pretty interesting. It’s a rap style mixed with a lot of sounds normally heard in techno music. Not a bad mixture. But, while I’m talking about sounds I have to bring this out. Somebody in Cheno Lyfe’s camp loves arpeggio mode. Cool sound, but definitely used too much for one CD. If you don’t know what I mean when I say arpeggio mode, listen to the title track and take note of the light fluttery sound in the background of almost the entire track. This sound – and different variations of this sound – are heard throughout the entire album. In other words, I heard it way more than I wanted to. Cheno Lyfe definitely steps out of the safety box on “Eyes Fixed.” I love the intro to the song and the addition of the guitar. The style is slow rock, mixed with worship, with him rapping for the verses of course. I appreciate the message, but it just didn’t fit in well with the rest of the album. This was the last song on the album and not the best time to try something totally different. The first and last song of the album stick out, instead of begin and conclude a common theme. Lyrically, Cheno Lyfe stays safe in the pocket. There’s nothing within the lyrics that really blew me away, but he doesn’t drop the ball and that counts for something. The content is pretty solid. He didn’t say anything that annoyed me or made me want to throw something. That’s a good thing, because I can be pretty picky when it comes to content. I had a raised eyebrow during “Let’s Take ‘Em to Church” but it was a false alarm. The CD has a pretty consistent flow. “Let’s Take ‘Em to Church” is the biggest shift in style or tempo outside of “Eyes Fixed” and this isn’t a bad thing. All things considered, Home is a project that takes it down the field, but doesn’t quite take it to the house. Good, but not great. But, everybody’s a critic. I’m just the one who wrote the review. Peace and much love…

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Review Committee
Review by:  E Pluribus Unum

Rated by:
E Pluribus Unum - Avg Rating:  3.15
APX - Avg Rating:  4.4
DJ Guardian – Avg Rating:  3.4

Album Review: The Rep “Say No More”

The Rep “Say No More”
Released: 2009
Reviewed By:  Bradford Davis
Committee Rating:   3.76 (of 5)

Rating:  

I’ve always admired honest, relevant music, as I’m sure you do too (if not…this site isn’t for you).  That being said, The Rep’s “Say No More” is as raw and real as it gets.  It paints the realities of “the struggle” as vivid as I’ve ever heard.  It’s a hip hop exposition on pain, trial, sin, and most importantly, on the hope that is in Jesus.   Read more

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