Albums come along from time to time that are truly unique. It’s not often, but when it happens, you know. Something about it resonates with my soul, twists my ear and gives me a new perspective on what music (in this case hip-hop) can be.
It’s the type of album that is so distinct, it causes me to weigh every album in the future against it. It becomes a cornerstone of art and an opulent gem to be treasured. Satellite Kite is this kind of album.
1. Hello From Portland
Rain. That is how Satellite Kite opens up. Rain slowly increasing in volume until the bass line comes in with a soothing soundscape to bring it together. Wait about 1:20 and soft guitar plucking comes into play as well. It’s peaceful, contemplative and soothing, while at the same time, it almost seems life challenging. It seems to ask you “Now that you know, what are you going to do about it.” It reminds me of an ending to an indie film about life and love. It’s real. What an incredible introduction to this album. Continue reading →
VS
VS starts off the album right, giving some insight into what to be prepared for with Vintage’s production and Sean’s lyricism. Just off the first track you can hear the growth of Sean since ‘a love aPhiliated’. I realized I definitely had something to prepare for when I heard “resurrected would have never expected that rhetoric would be leverage in them seven by seven sentiments/ said it meant it said it again/ said it again/ men said its sediment when I said it to them/ set it in a sedative and settle the singe/ revel in reverence and revenge/ never pretend/ clever is a relative to a devilish grin/ yeah better is relative but am i better than them”. With lines like that, Sean just shut down 98% of mainstream rap. Wow!
Zenith ft. DJ Aslan
Scratching is a vastly overlooked of hip-hop in the last decade, so when a track starts off with it, you have my notice. Add in that spacy atmosphere and a crunchy synth and I am sold. Dang, Sean’s not pulling any punches starting off with two big tracks right out of the gate. I especially dig this line. “vintage said/ it aint gon be complex, gotta flex your own/ cant lean on the beat like a sectional”. And just for good measure, here’s a live version.
Sunshine ft. DJ Sean P
This is one of my favorite tracks on the album. At only 1:25, I would assume this would be some form of intro into the next track, but not so. Instead Sean rips one minute and twelve seconds. Not only does he eat the beat alive, but two times the beat drops out for him to emphasize the words bars and stars, making me want to smack somebody. Not only that, but we also have a promo video to go along with it.
Shame ft. Playdough and DJ Efechto
Shame employs Playdough (Deepspace5) and Dj Efechto (recently signed to Humble Beast) and it doesn’t fail to please. Of course, this isn’t the first time we’ve heard DJ Efechto with Sean. He also featured on Sean’s collaboration with Wonder Brown called ‘a love aPhiliated’ (which is an incredible album). Playdough’s a vet, so as expected he drops classic, semi-humorous verse with lines like “It’s a down low dirty shame, I came early. Showed with my pearly whites, I’m so purty, right? Tight. Bein this great, should be illegal in a 48…state…district court. I spit for sport, rap for change. Kick this game. I knicked a veign and it’s a shame.” it’s no surprise he has grown to be so respected for his unique style.
Blow Your Mind feat. Braille & DJ Tree Blow your mind starts off with bass, flute and drum samples, then around :11 the “Blow Your Mind” vocal sample comes in. This is a funky laid back track just waiting for a slathering of Sean’s multi-syllabic style and Braille’s emcee tenure. Sean drops the following at :30 “Endure to skewer manure in the sewer so it allure fewer and fewer will mature to the truer.” Bars! How do people keep sleeping on Sean? His last name is ironic considering how many of his lines must go above people’s heads. At 1:20 Braille arrives and gives a little background to his introduction and progression in hip-hop, from young listener to hobby spitter to professional emcee. Lastly, DJ Tree scratches a sample that makes me chuckle a little everytime. None other than the infamous Will Ferrell playing ‘Taladega Nights’ Ricky Bobby.
Aware feat. Cas One & DJ Sean P
This track sounds like a feel-good summer track. Sean P scratches up the hook while among a number of topics, Sean challenges the opinion that he doesn’t fit into hip-hop due to his clothing, appearance and/or speech. “Certain naysayers say a brother don’t belong. I wear my clothes proper and speak eloquently. Value education and have a sense of symmetry between the worlds that I dabble in. I’m an artist and a family man, aint got no time for battlin. But if a young, dumb, chum wants some. comes saddlin towards the establishment, I’m bored with your babblin.”
I Do feat. Ricky Dean
I do is a track dedicated to Sean’s wife. He speaks about how she desires to have a song about her on every album, how they grew closer on the ‘Wife and Wagon’ tour where they traveled around in their station wagon and did numerous house shows, about how he has learned (and continues to) deny himself in order to be a better husband amongst numerous other points. Overall, it is really encouraging to hear an emcee talk about loving his wife and documenting that on an album. Especially with the current state of hip-hop and the kids he works with in the Hip-Hop 101 program.
Simple feat. DJ Efechto
This is one of the simplest (success), yet one of the best of the tracks on the album. Efechto’s sample from Common’s ‘The 6th Sense’ speaks to a completely different song concept, but fits nicely and reminds me of where hip-hop has come and hopefully where it will return. Although this is slightly off topic, it’s interesting to hear Sean reference Alistair Begg again. He was sampled numerous times in Sean’s first album ‘Scott Free‘. Most notably in the album’s namesake ‘Scott Free‘ where Alistair speaks about how the church is harming people and even our very own testimony by covering over the truth that we all struggle and fail. But I digress, Sean breaks down how he has progressed in his life, most importantly, in his walk with Christ.
Moment
Mmmm, that vocal sample wants to rip a hole in my heart…well done. Sean shares about the precious moments that stay with us; moments that drive along our soul. He shares about learning about Scott’s death and the resulting moments/events that occured afterward.
Losing You
Losing You is a soulful, nostalgic track about people who at point were incredibly important parts of your life, but in time have drifted out of contact or relationship. The first verse is about friends that don’t talk anymore. In the second verse, Sean speaks about how important his wife is to him and not wanting to lose her. The third verse seems to be about Sean accepting that Scott is gone (although not truly lost), but understanding that he has Christ until he sees him again.
Disappear
Everyone will face struggles, pain, hurt and fighting, but all those troubles will disappear in time, in Christ.
Not only is this an excellent album full of deep content, personal insight and grown-folk features, but the album also comes with all of the instrumentals as well. More and more artists seem to be doing this and I for one am pretty ecstatic about it. Not only is it nice to be able to listen to the instrumental album by itself, but I hope this prompts younger artists and listeners to appreciate something that frequently gets overlooked; DJ’s and production. Many have come to see a beat as nothing more than a means to an end; simply a background for an emcee to speak. We have a younger generation that would not only completely miss the talent and the point behind classics like ‘Eye of the Cyklops‘, ‘Music By Cavelight‘ or ‘Deadringer‘, but would deem them worthless. In the midst of a generation obsessed with swag, it seems the tides may be turning towards an appreciation of the art of hip-hop and the golden era again. Or at least that’s what I would like to think…
Nan Knew – 4/5
Nan Knew is a interesting reference. On one hand, they’re saying that no one knew about them, implying people were either ignorant or sleepin. On the other hand you have a Mork & Mindy reference (see 70′s TV show) implying their style is foreign or out of this world. If I’m correct, I would concur on both implications. Not only are people sleeping HARD on the SI crew and namely Cas Metah and especially Wonder Brown, but their style is foreign/out of this world in that they still hold high expectations for their art form and more importantly that their art was created to glorify God almighty. If that doesn’t make you out of this world in our generation and culture…I don’t know what is.
The Way I Cry (feat. Ruffian) – 5/5
This is not only the first release off of the album, but also one of the best and an accurate representation of the feel, talent and message of much of the rest of the album. The track speaks about Cas, Wonder and Ruffian pouring out their passion and heart in music and in general how they have struggled with past hurts/pains. The track calls out to those still struggling in their lives/sin and draws them in as Cas, Wonder and Ruffian share how they can relate.
Mind Bender – 5/5
This is an amazing story telling track. The song starts off with Cas and Wonder arriving back at home to discover their home has been broken into. The samples from this track remind me of old crime shows based in the 40′s. I can imagine the guys recounting their tale to a lone figure in a nearly empty/grimy bar as the token piano player plays in the back and smoke swirls around the room. The track goes into the process of our main characters asking around to neighbors, suspects and others as they try to determine exactly what happened. Definitely not a track to be skipped. It’s rare to hear this level of storytelling in hip-hop anymore.
“But do I? No. Instead I go swimmin in sin again, like, “Shh, I’ll float. I don’t need a boat, I don’t see no sharks.” Til they bite, then I’m like “I don’t need those parts.”" – Cas Metah – Drowning Man
The Same State (interlude) – 4/5
This track is a sample from Bring John Malkovich and may seem pretty random until you realize that Cas and Wonder are from Ohio and rep Cincinnati pretty heavily. I think this fits well and helps connect Nan Knew as the album progresses.
I Know (feat. Lyriz) – 5/5
This could easily become a classic track (at least my my opinion it is). I think the track is summed up within Wonder’s verse. “Though I know I’m made in God’s love you’ll find me struggle…Move on from the corner. Realize the my former, but never run for the border.” This track is all about knowing what it’s like out there, but explaining how they’ve come through and found a new identity or in other words “I Know”. They’re not just making some music, they’ve lived the life and found the other side, giving them a testimony to those still fighting to be free.
In or Out (feat. Soul P) – 3.5/5
I know this is a dope beat, and everyone comes with nice verses, especially after Brown’s killer intro, but for whatever reason, I couldn’t feel this track. It’s not necessarily a track I skip, but it also isn’t something I would intentionally turn on the album to listen to. I’m sure people will disagree with me, but that’s my pair of pennies.
Back and Forth – 4.5/5
This track stays on repeat. The transparency and struggles presented by Cas and Brown are honest and straight-forward. Brown’s verse is heart wrenching and speaks about what many people have a trouble communicating after the loss of a relationship. He talks about the desire to have the relationship back, the deep pain of the separation and how it can cause people to question why they are suffering and even doubt their faith. It is encouraging to hear how in spite of the situation he refuses to turn his back on God, knowing He is what’s most important.
Over and Over – 5/5
Killer Frank Sinatra sample. Nice follow up to the last track and fitting intro to She’s Gone.
“I see these black tears of ink are drippin again as I hold my head underwater swimmin in sin. No hope, no bait, no pole, no wait, how did I end up caught up in your wake with no faith, fisher of men?” – Wonder Brown – Drowning Man
She’s Gone – 5/5
This is by far one of the best tracks on the album. The intro comes in with a haunting, ethereal vocal sample (something like a siren or a banshee). Then come in the drums…BANGIN! If this track doesn’t get your face scrunched up and head movin, I’m afraid to inform you, that you are in fact deceased. Cas confronts the attitudes and behavior of most men in avoiding commitment. Only in this verse, the woman leaves and he is left with the pain that he caused to so many women in the past. Wonder speaks about the pain of being left and the how ultimately the only thing that satisfies or fixes a broken heart to that degree is God.
The Struggle (feat. Freddie Bruno and Holmskillit) – 5/5
Super deep bass line, snappy drums and that tweaked sample are ridiculous. Another banger. The title makes the point of the song. Life is a struggle, but it’s a fight that’s necessary; there are no other options. Uhhh, THOSE DRUMS! Seriously!? Those drums try to break my neck at the beginning of every verse. Freddie Bruno of Deepspace5 fame drops a monstrous verse on this track, not to mention a couple of Pokemon references. It doesn’t seem like that would work considering his verse, but Fred makes it work in the references. This track regularly gets played 5 or 6 times in a row until I get my fix.
Hurt – 5/5
JustMe not only created an incredible instrumental to this track, but his verse and addition to the hook is (as always) exact. JustMe never fails to surprise me with his verses. Poignant, focused and precise. His verse doesn’t seem to leave anything out or include any extraneous material. “Only love breaks hearts, only hurt will learn you, it’s like life be puttin in work to burn you.”
Famous Lovers Pt.2 (feat. Mouf Warren) – 4/5
This track feels like 2 o’ clock in the morning. Cas verse comes from the perspective of a worthless husband who cares just enough about his wife to marry her and wear a mask to make the marriage seem stable and somewhat comfort his children, but behind the scenes he’s creepin with a woman (or women) on the side. Wonder provides a nice hook sounding pretty ghostly as well as a nice verses. Rounding off the track nicely is Mouf Warren of the SI camp.
Bros. On The Run – 4/5
FUNKY! This really reminds me of an RJD2 track around the Deadringer period.
“Sometimes I wonder how my life came to this. Everyday prayin for a few more days of this. I miss my innocence and playfulness. Playin the game of life, but there aint no games in this. Painfulness. Hope that I gain from this. If I go insane from this shamefulness, pray someone else gains from it.” – Copywrite – Drowning Man
Hold On 2012 (feat. Holmskillit) – 5
Hold On is all about enduring till the end regardless of highs and lows. Despite that struggles that will be encountered and the fights that may occur. Hold on and endure till the end because it is more than worth it if you remember the first love that prompted your commitment in the first place. Not to leave it at that, Cas also makes a point to mention the small things that go a long way. The production is by DT of Clan Destined/The VJC and is super laid back (think P.U.T.S. San Francisco Knights). I could listen to this track all day. Good message, good beat.
Drowning Man (feat. Copywrite and Elias) – 5/5
This is my favorite track of the album bar none. From the production of J. Rawls, to the incredible verses of Cas, Brown and Copy, to the soulful verse of Elias, to the message behind it all. This song really impacted me deeply. In the midst of numerous struggles over the past few weeks and feeling like a failure. I not only was encouraged to hear these guys not only share about their failures, but also being so blunt. It’s exactly what I needed to hear and spoke exactly to heart and situation. If I had to pick only one track off this album, this would be it. To add to the track being a knife, hearing Copy’s verse and knowing how the Lord is working is powerfully in his life over the last year is an answer to prayer. I remember hearing Copy for the first time back in 2002 on Deadringer and relating to the pain of losing a father from the track June. Since 2005 after coming to know Christ myself, there has been a heavy burden on my heart for a number of artists, Copy being one.
“I’m a drowning man. Just reach out your hand. I wanna believe, but I just…don’t understand.” – Elias – Drowning Man
Winding Down (feat. Holmskillit) – 5/5
This is a great track to wind down the album produced by Fab Da Eclectic (yes, you can groan at the bad pun). Seriously though, it really does relax and end the album nicely as the last song (even though it’s not the last track). It’s the kind of track that makes you want to start the whole album over again.
The Yah and the Yang (feat. Tony Campolo) – 4/5
Although I’m not sure whether or not the reference reference to the Chinese philosophers is accurate or how theologically sound Tony Campolo is, but the overall message is on point. We have to stand for the core principles of our faith and the convictions placed on each one of us individually, but not to the detriment of others by lacking in compassion. We must be both steady and resolved in our faith and faithful to care for others. If we only stand for what’s right, but can care enough about others to feed the hungry or comfort the mourning, we’re just some clanging symbols.
Overall, the album is lyrically exquisite, content driven, theme focused and instrumentally diverse without straying from the concept of the album. There isn’t a single filler track, but certainly some tracks that struck home more than others. The album is full without being drawn out, coming in at just under 59 minutes. Definitely worth the purchase and another great addition to the Illect catalog. Thank you Cas and Wonder for this album.
DeepSpace5 could possibly be the biggest hip hop group of all-time, DeepSpace5 contains seven emcees (Fred B, Sivion, Listener, ManChild, Sintaxtheterrific, Playdough and SevStatik) and three producers (Dust, Manwell and Beat Rabbi). Bring all ten of these guys together only means one thing: Greatness. Their debut album A Night We Called It Day is considered a classic in the underground hip hop, in other words if DeepSpace5 was accepted into the mainstream they would be stars. DeepSpace5 comes with more firepower in their sophomore album Unique Just Like Everyone Else adding Fred B. and Sivion to the group. Does Unique Just Like Everyone Else as good as their debut album or does the extra firepower take away from the core guys the group started with?
Now I can’t lie, this album was extremely hard to review because so many people’s heart and soul is encompassed in this album each bring something different to the people. So I apologize if this review is kind of confusing. DeepSpace5 blasts out of the gate with “Talk Music” which if I read correctly is the Listener gives to the type of music DS5 makes. The track is very energetic, “Talk Music” is one of the few tracks that have all seven emcees rap a verse in it which makes the song even better. The beat is hard to explain but it does have a western type theme with obviously the hip hop mixed in. Definitely one of the best tracks on the album.
“If I Don’t Make It” is in my opinion the most meaningful song on the album and it deals with death. Don’t worry DS5 isn’t an emo rap group they just rap about the facts and it’s only inevitable that some day all of us will die and DS5 covers the stresses of dealing with death. I’m sure most of us has had someone important die in our lives and we have to deal with it. ManChild and Listener’s verse scream the loudest (figuratively speaking), ManChild references a DJ Ox in his song who was dealing with cancer and the strongest line in his verse is “God if you see fit leave him here with me,”. The song should help people realize that God is in control of everything including death. Listener handles the mic next in the song he also brings a strong quote: “If she don’t make it God I won’t blame it on you…” which is what a lot people do. Listener’s verse should teach people that God has a purpose for that person dying whether we know it or not.
“Axe to Grind” is an interesting song mostly because I don’t really know what it’s about. The term “Axe to Grind” is metaphorical for something I just don’t know what it is. The beat to the song is interesting because I imagine gears turning when I hear “Axe to Grind”. Believe it or not the term Axe to Grind means something different to the three emcees featured on the track (SevStatik, Listener and Sintax). Though I’m still trying to figure out what the song means I still find myself drawn to the song.
If you read my “Introducing DeepSpace5” article you know Listener is my favorite group member and the track “They Say” is the track that showcases Listener with Sivion and Sintax on it. The track just shows the creative juices that Listener has, he takes everyday sayings and turns them into rap verses. With the acoustic guitar in the background along with the hip hop beat it makes yet another DeepSpace5 classic. The tracks basically says while some things “they” (they being everyone else) say are correct a lot of ideas, theories etc. are wrong and it’s up to you to decide what you want to believe in.
All in all Unique Just Like Everyone Else is another classic album that DeepSpace5 can add to their figurative belt. The album covers serious issues plus it’s evident that the crew is having a good time while making the album. Now some people ask if they have seven emcees how in the world do they share the mic evenly. My answer is this: I don’t know how they share the mic evenly, but they somehow do it. You don’t hear one emcee more than you hear the others and even though the new guys Sivion and Fred B. are new they still get their time on the record. DeepSpace5 is making a good name for themselves and will continue to do so as they make more records. Lastly check out every emcee’s solo projects!
Sintax maybe part of the talented group DeepSpace5, but it seems (at least in my eyes) Sintax sometimes gets lost in the shuffle of the talent of the other group members. In 2004 Sintax released his first solo album Simple Moves and let me tell you he definitely separated himself from some of the other members of the group (and this is in a good way). Sintax comes with strong messages in most of his, but he also knows how to take a step back and make the listener laugh a bit at what he’s rhyming about. Sintax’s debut albums is one that even if you’re not a Christian Hip Hop fan, it’s still a release worth getting.
The first thing worth mentioning is the superb production behind the album, while I have no idea who produced the album the production sounds like DJ Dust’s. Most of the beats have the deep bass pounding in the background. In other words a lot of the tracks on the album are headbanger tracks. The first three tracks on the album are perfect examples of the excellent production on this album.
“Shirt Sleeve” is the second track on the album and it serves as an introductory track not just for Sintax himself, but an introductory track to Sintax’s love for God. The beat has more of a nighttime feel to it and Sintax does a great job setting up the scenery for the listener to the point where the listener should be able to envision the environment Sintax is in. Lyrically Sintax puts his soul on the line and spills his guts on everything he stands for and the God he loves.
“The Way We Walk” is the first guest appearance track on the album and it features my favorite Scribbling Idiots member, Mouf Warren. Mouf and Sintax’s lyricism combines to make (at least in my opinion) one of the best guest appearance tracks I’ve ever heard. The track is just as the name states, it’s about the way we walk on a journey with Christ. Our friendship with Christ is the most important friendship we have and one that will never end regardless of what we do. The track starts with Mouf and Sintax trading 4 bars back and forth and it seems like the two have been collaborating for years. The song continues and as the two finish their verse the tempo slows down a bit and the two emcees start rapping about the importance of walking in righteousness. Though we may not know, people are watching our moves and how we react to different situations God puts us through. We represent God every time we walk of the house, at work, school, at the dinner table, wherever.
One thing I didn’t like about Simple Moves was the Interlude tracks (“Note to the Discjock” and “Tight”). They sound terrible and are actually kind of annoying, now if Dust made these I don’t know what to say because I would expect him to make something a lot better.
As stated earlier Sintax like to have fun with the raps that he writes and a two prime examples of this would be “Understudy” and “Got Beef”. “Understudy” is simply Sintax freestyling about himself in the first verse and random fantasy things (Harry Potter, Lord of Rings etc.) in the second verse. The freestyle is fun to listen to and just shows the lyricism that Sintax has. “Got Beef” is a one verse freestyle where Sintax basically bags on the members of his DeepSpace5 crew. I believe this all a joke for Sintax because if it isn’t we may never see Sintax on another DeepSpace5 album. Both freestyle tracks basically show Sintax is serious about what he believes, but he’s also willing to joke around a bit.
Another thing Sintax shows in this album is love for crew DeepSpace5 “Ad Infinitum” and “We Used To Live In An Apartment Together” are the two tracks that show his love. Ironically both tracks feature DeepSpace5 members. The apartment song features ManChild because the actually used to live in an apartment together. The song is kind of funny because the song starts with the two saying how the other was so messed up before meeting the other. The song ends on the point that the two have had their differences but still are brothers and will love each other to the end of time.
Sintax’s lyricism is shown to the extreme on this album and he covers so many topics that need to covered in this day and age. The production sound Dustesque which is a good thing and most importantly the album contains numerous guest appearances from some known Christian Hip Hop artists and some not so well known. Guest appearances include JustMe (Scribbling Idiots), SevStatik (DeepSpace5, Tunnel Rats), ManChild (DeepSpace5, Mars ILL), Bi Raw and others. This album should be picked by any hip hop fan because you will enjoy it.
I thought I knew everything about the Low Budget crew and then Sean Born came along. I heard about this project a while back and heard Kev Brown was producing the project and knew I had to listen. More times than not at least with Mello Music Group the emcees in the group have had projects beforehand but as far as I know this is Sean Born’s debut. I went into the “Behind the Scale” without hearing the samples off Itunes and only reading the reviews from Potholes in my Blog. Let me tell you what I found.
One thing I’ll let you in on right away is the fact that this is a very cohesive project both with the production and with the lyricism. “Grandeur” kicks off the album and it gives you the perfect vision of what’s to come with the rest of the record. Now usually I would pick out my favorite tracks and throw them in this review, but the tracks are so closely related and the concept of the album is so closely knit it’s really hard to do that.
Now I should warn you, not to take this album for face value (though the fact that you’re reading this probably insinuates you wouldn’t do that) this album is more than just an album saying, smoke weed, have sex with women and get drunk. It’s actually a really nice commentary on what inner-city members have to go through. And in fact touches on topics like black masculinity and more, but in an indirect way.
I have a couple of favorites on this record including “The Quartermaine” Sean throughout the whole record kind of goes through this push and pull with the life he has/had in the inner-city. You see him do the whole tough guy thing, but at the same time know he has to avoid the cops. He talks about women and drinking and what not but not in the context that you would hear on a radio single. Like I said if you take this album for face value you’re completely missing the point of this record.
Another track I wanted to touch on was “Bullshit” which features Hassaan Mackey from the other dope record “Daily Bread”. Now I mention this track because Sean Born was featured on “Daily Bread” with the track “The Trenches”. And this track is more of the same, both have been through and seen a lot and all of that is depicted through this track. After hearing both “Bullshit” and “The Trenches” these two really need to do a record together with beats by Apollo Brown and Kev Brown, it would be dope.
Sean Born is nice on the mike, you can hear his confidence as he depicts different pictures for the listener. While he’s more or less speaking on the same overall concept, he does take numerous approaches to it, and it’s not all bad, tracks like “Lights On” and “Pour Out Liquor” the former showing that he’s simply trying to make it to the next day and survive. The latter in some ways is his anthem to his life in the inner-city and the people in it.
Anyway “Behind the Scale” is real dope record if you take the time to actually analyze and think about what the Low Budget emcee is saying. My only real gripe with the album is that it can get kind of repetitive in that you know where the next song is going. At the same time though this record has been getting a lot of play and a lot of repeats on my end. There’s really no reason for you to not pick up this album. Kev Brown handled most of the production on the project but the other producers (Quartermaine, Kenwood and Oddisee) all stick to the sound that Kev Brown implemented while still bringing their own style, which I found impressive. I’m not really sure why people have been giving this album just an average marking, but I thought this was a great album.
yU continues to become one of my favorite emcees with his work on the Diamond District album and his debut album “Before Taxes” two years ago. In December of 2011 the Mello Music Group emcee released his sophomore album “The Earn”. Which in my eyes and after listening to the project “The Earn” is in some ways a sequel to his debut. “The Earn” progresses on some of the subjects projected in “Before Taxes” but also moves forward some of the ideas proposed in “Before Taxes”. Let’s see if yU was indeed out to “Earn”.
My first standout track on this album was “Bonafide” and for this track being at the beginning of the album, it gives you a pretty good idea of where this album is going in terms of sound. “The Earn” has influences from all genres of music, from soul to rock, from boom bap to jazz. yU really takes the role of teacher in this track, speaking of just everyday life, but at the same time continuing the grind that you’re on right now. The whole subject of this album is earning and grinding towards what you want, this track starts the journey.
The title track gives me the whole idea that there’s nothing you can’t accomplish in this world as long as you’re willing to work hard to get what you want. The track stays true to the entire theme of the album. Right after the title track is “The Money (Ahh Yeah)” talks mostly of the evil that it causes and how it pretty much influences every part of our lives sometimes for the good and sometimes for the bad.
One thing I like about “The Earn” is that the album handles theme of working and grinding in many facets. In tracks like “If U Down” yU covers some of the negative and downsides that we go through when we’re trying to make a living while following our dreams. In tracks like “I Believe” yU takes more the role of motivational speaker. If you don’t walk away from this track feeling like you can take over the world, then clearly you aren’t listening well enough!
Honestly if I had more space I’d go over all the tracks of this album, that’s how good it is, but I couldn’t end this review without speaking about “Highlights Of Life Pt.2” first of all, where the heck is part one because based on this track I need to hear it. This beat was produced by yU himself and in my opinion it’s the best song on the album. “Highlights Of Life Pt.2” I think is just a summary of where yU is at now, what he’s learned, what he’s been through and even more. This song is the reason why this review is two months late, I had this song on repeat for weeks and I always go back to it at least once a day if not more.
Put bluntly, this record is grown-man rap, you hear the journey of a man who’s been through a lot, fallen, gotten back up, fallen again and gotten back up. Like I said earlier yU covers the entire spectrum of what “The Earn” means. It’s a life record, listeners will be able to relate to the record, learn from the record and most importantly in my opinion be motivated by the record. This was one of my favorite releases from last year and there’s really no reason that you shouldn’t have this in your collection. The production has variety but still has a cohesive sound, yU’s lyrics express more or less every emotion possible and it will have you wanting more.
Blow your mind starts off with bass, flute and drum samples, then around :11 the “Blow Your Mind” vocal sample comes in. This is a funky laid back track just waiting for a slathering of Sean’s multi-syllabic style and Braille’s emcee tenure. Sean drops the following at :30 “Endure to skewer manure in the sewer so it allure fewer and fewer will mature to the truer.” Bars! How do people keep sleeping on Sean? His last name is ironic considering how many of his lines must go above people’s heads. At 1:20 Braille arrives and gives a little background to his introduction and progression in hip-hop, from young listener to hobby spitter to professional emcee. Lastly, DJ Tree scratches a sample that makes me chuckle a little everytime. None other than the infamous Will Ferrell playing ‘Taladega Nights’ Ricky Bobby.
