Hip Hop

Global rating of the product: 4.5 stars

Underground emcee Edga Da Messiah Kayci has been exposed several times on the Eminem blog. The remarkable artist’s clever use of instrumentals, his incredible flow delivery, his dark Ice T alike voice raised a lot of interest from most readers.

Far from being average, Edga’s know how in handling instrumentals will manage to transport the listener into a cosmic dimension in which you will feel the fight between opposed spiritual forces. Edga gives a new definition of contemporary hip hop. The messiah is back. Let’s walk step by step through the tracks of his God Infection’s LP.

The Revolution Has Begun: the violin/ rhythmic drum background is the prelude to a new era introduced by Edga. You gotta love the swinging instrumentals that introduce the changes announced.

Witness The Coming: at the dawn of a new era, follow the Messiah in his crazy, repetitive rhythm on which his flow spreads like an unexpected whirlwind. Get metaphysical, elevate yourself, touch the sky with the emcee.
Edga’s force also lies in his avant-gardist use of the instrumentals in which he dares to combine strange sounds to dope beats.

Who Can? Who can fuck with the man who brings you back to the genesis of rap music, recalling its elements, spreading words like atomic particles, creator of crazy rhythms ex nihilo? Enemies get erased by verbal fluency in no time.

In Where Do We Go, Edga gets even more mystical. In this rhythmic, hammering instrumental transe, Edga seems to travel through time and space in order to rejoin God’s dimension. Edga’s mom passed away while he was working on this CD, which makes the track even more emotional. Instrumentally, the drum-trumpet-keyboard association unleashes the invisible spiritual forces. A son is talking to his deceased mom. Emotional words cross the river of ages and centuries to melt into the universal sea of mankind. Wow…this track is truly elevating!

Conceited Bastard attacks narrow minded people who are all about money and clothes. Let’s get lyrical on a surrealistic musical background. Well done, Edga.

War: like an army of soldiers marching on, the powerful instrumentals that combine keyboards, bass and drum plays symbolize the era of terror and blood. Get caught into Edga’s whirlwind of words in which he warns humanity in a very prophetic sounding voice.

Among other songs I really like, I’d recommend Cold World to all of you.

Globally speaking Edga has done some amazing work on his CD. His well mastered flow, his good sense of rhythm, his creative use of the instrumentals make an outstanding artist of him.

You can cop his CD with no hesitation!

Copyright© by Isabelle Esling
All Rights Reserved

Thanks to artists like Antoine Moore aka The Message, hip hop can proudly claim that it experiences the dawn of its rebirth. If hip hop was dead, the brilliant underground artist ( who happens to be MC Lyte’s cousin) has found a refreshing way for hip hop to be reborn from its ashes.

A raw sounding voice, some inventive and rhythmic beats, a powerful spirit are the elements of a well made musical recipe…listen to his music and you will taste it with delight. Built Like That is cadenced, explosive like dynamite, fulfilled with astute punchlines. If you’re about good hip hop, you shouldn’t sleep on that track.

In Go To Guys features Eliott Ness The Message sharpens his tongue and flows like crazy. You gotta love the offensive , marching on spirit of the song.

On Your Mark mixes roughness with some soft vocals. The Message composes, operates with precision and his words will hit where it hurts. Again, a nice flow delivery enhances the song.

Get familiar with the business’ numerous intrigues by listening to The Plot. Guitar and light piano notes corroborate with the artist’s intonations to make the listener feel the plot. The song is rhythmic, slightly interrupted with short female voice interventions. The melody has some beautiful blues accents. Loved it!

Note that this excellent artist has two albums in preparation:

“ Against All Oddz” in collaboration with R-texz that is due in Mid 2009, plus “ Cause & The Effect”: The Autobiography Album that will be ready in 2010.

Check The Message here.

Copyright© by Isabelle Esling
All Rights Reserved

Global rating of the product: 5 stars

Gangsta rap godfather Ice Cube hasn’t lost his edge, unlike many of his peers who started rapping at the same time. Full of justified ghetto rage, Ice Cube introduces you to a grimy and very descriptive song based on hardcore, dark instrumentals. His impressive verbal elasticity, his sharp- edged words allow the talented emcee to go straight to the point.
Gangsta rap’s wildest opponents still don’t get black people’s rage. A person of my entourage once told me that rap music was only noise and shouting to his ears. Yeah, right. Noise and shouting, but good and justified “noise” that carries out the symbolism of black folks’ fight through the centuries. While some people might still ask themselves why black people are so much angry, I’d like to oppose a rhetorical answer: aren’t 400 years of slavery and discrimination in America enough for somebody to feel anger and discomfort? Let me make you feel even more discomfort through my surgical words. Let my pen stab you like the sharpest knife if you’re not willing to hear.

Aren’t they a heavy enough burden for people to stand up against the American government’s everlasting imperialism? (on a sidenote, I salute Iraqi journalist Mr Zaidi for throwing a pair of shoes to Mr Bush- he fully deserved contempt for years of oppression in Iraq).

That’s why Ice Cube shows some gritty teeth towards any kind of governmental abuse. Ice Cube’s powerful and ruthless agression takes some colorful dimension in the first verse. The repetitive, hammering musical background accompanies the listener like a heavy rain cloud, symbol of the upcoming hurricane:

“
I got King Kong in my trunk,
King Kong in my doors
My nuts play ping-pong from the noise;
you can hear me from a block away
Im sitting next to your ass and cant hear what you got to say
My shit is loud, my ears is ringing
My paint job is wet
My chrome is gleaming
I feel like a vet ballin’ on these rookies
An old-school bully, you must have played hooky
I bring it like a bookie,
My aggression is depressing
Don’t give a muthafucka time to learn his lesson
A lunatic, y’all know what I represent
The only rapper that wanna fist-fight the president…”

Picture Ice Cube in LA with his buddys, getting physical against racial discrimination from the police. A war against the bullies has begun. Destruction in on its way, cars are burning.

Ice Cube stays true to himself, to his ghetto roots and to the spirit of his music. Acting like the leader of his folks O’ Shea Jackson has this amazing ability to captivate hardcore, gansgta rap hip hop lovers. You gotta love the hip hop giant’s video. Watch it here.

Copyrightby ©Isabelle Esling
All Rights Reserved

Hailing from New Jersey, Izzy Meock’s grimy words spread out of his chest like an AK47’s speedy bullets. You can feel the emcee’s angry spirit like a vulcano in constant eruption corroborate with his various instrumental composition. No guns unloaded when Izzy gets bizzy. Let him shout out his sharp words.

Music Makes Me Feel Dirty gets started with some rhythmic female vocals. Izzy will follow, allowing the listener to enjoy his verbal dexterity. His words are enhanced on purpose with loads of filthy details.

Let’s Get It Bumping is a cadenced song in which Izzy Meock hustles and flows with loads of verbal inventivity. Getting dirty in this context requires a lot of creativity and astute team work. The instrumentals add to the crazy atmosphere.

I’m Fresh is introduced by some bells, trumpets and keyboard sounds. He’s dynamic and cocky. The song is filled with a typical Dirty South atmosphere.

I’m Da Bomb: a dark, grimy voice, a confident spirit, some background vocal supporters, here goes Izzy, trying to make his opponents feel dizzy. The emcee is taking over with pride.

Sticky Icky Izzy takes his listeners by surprise with his hurtful and astute punchlines. Be prepared for the lyrical knock out.

Discover more about Izzy Meock here.

Copyright© by Isabelle Esling
All Rights Reserved

Global rating of the product: 5 stars

Nasir Jones deliberately chose not to give his CD a precise title. When he first announced his intentions to call it ” Nigger”, the outstanding rap artist was very much conscious of the controversy it would raise all around the world. However- not the N word is the real problem- it is rather the attitude some racists and conceited people still carry towards black people and other ethnic minorities. Prejudice and discrimination are part of black people’s allday life. Sometimes peace can only be gained if you go to war. God’s Son is determined to raise his powerful voice as a prayer and a contribution for a massive change in the United States. Come into his world and understand black people’s fight over the centuries. Let his word penetrate into your mind. Not every truth is easy to swallow. But it has to be said and heard-no matter what. So listen to the rap genius’ words carefully.

One could barely ignore black people’s plight over the centuries, even though some comfortable wealthy Whites would like to do so. Those are the same people who built their wealth on the shameless exploitation of black folks, To them, recalling the scars of slavery and discrimination of any kind will make them feel uncomfortable. Stop with the hypocrisy here: the prophet has spoken and here are his words.

Like an outburst of heavy rain, lyrical and instrumental creativity will pour down the listeners’ ears. Queens Get The Money opens up its curtains on daily ghetto drama that are linked with politics. Slight piano notes will accentuate the overall bad impression. Nas hasn’t lost an ounce of his rhyming fluency despite harsh criticism from his fellow emcees. You are going to love the way he composes his words in which he recalls the Twin Towers collapse. Built on a soulful, yet very dynamic tempo, You Can’t Stop Us enlightens Nas’ sharp lyrical bullets. Loud trumpets introduce Nas’ history lesson. The emcee points an accusatory finger against the white world. The soft chorus contrasts with Nas’ strong words. The atrocity of racial hate crimes is exposed. Never defeated, always consistent in his speech, Nas makes the sword of veracity shine. You can’t stop his folks from moving. Breathe’s jazzy accents will discuss discrimination from the police. Even if some selfish people won’t take it into account, this is actually the way it is.

Make The World Go Round features Chris Brown and The Game. Its syncoped sounds mixed up with female vocals, rhythmic instrumentals unleash incisive, powerful words.

Hero will surprise you with the astute drumbeats/ keyboards combination. An army is marching on, supporting its hero. Get caught into Nas’ verbal typhoon that will erase everything on its route. I was amazed with Nas’ instrumental inventivity and raw verbal energy.

America: with his authentic, grimy and well placed words, the rapping genius raises his voice against America’s fabricated heroes and fake gangstas. Nas will take you back to the slums and make you contemplate the place where he came from. Enjoy his scribble jam and pay attention to his words. Real street talk, from a real emcee. Sly Fox has been written against a corporate American media system that monopolizes all news. Don’t be a sheep and don’t let the system manipulate you. Open your earsand eyes. Don’t believe everything you hear, read and see on the media. Electric guitar accentuates the sensation of discomfortthat is suggested by the song’s melody. Nas also courageously raises his voice to denounce the scandalous exploitation of hip hop culture. It needed to be said. Again, the lyricist’s brilliance needs to be underlined.

NI**ER Heartbeats begin the song that reflects peace after the ouragan. Understand the emcee’s rants.

Untitled: symphonic sounds start the song. Listen to Nas’ variations on the N word. Let him recall black history, express his mistrust about black leaders. Violins, drums and keyboard guide you into a soft musical universe that totally contrasts with Nas’ surgical syllables. In his way of operating, Nas reveals the whole truth about black folks’ lives over the centuries.

Fried Chicken featuring Busta Rhymes is not my cup of tea, though.
Black President, that is built on a Tupac sample, raises some interrogations about Obama’s place in the Presidential race. Is the world ready to welcome him? If so, will he respond to its expectations?
At the time Nas wrote this song, he didn’t know if Obama did actually stand a chance to get elected. The impossible became possible on November the 4th, 2008. Hopefully, America’s first black President won’t disappoint his folks

Since the days of Illmatic, Nas never lost his integrity. Please note that the CD ends up on a very positive note of hope for humanity.

Untitled is a masterpiece, as far as I am concerned.

Copyright© by Isabelle Esling
All Rights Reserved

I know you’ve all been waiting for this! At least most of you…well, despite a mad busy schedule, I managed to buy Nas’ brand new CD…I’ll write the review as soon as I can…so stay tuned, folks:)

Dymez is not your average underground emcee: he is very passionate about composing his music. When you will enter his hip hop universe you will enter a new, refeshing oasis in which only good music matters. His rhythmic, innovative use of his instrumentals combined with a good dose of ghetto rage and hip hop dedication will allow you to share his enthusiasm for the music.

Hip Hop: in his song, the Philly artist will convince you that the art of hip hop is pretty much alive. Softness, rhythm, a rough spirit matched up all together make Dymez’ originality. Hip hop is something he lives out day after day. Be sure of it. He’ll manage to transport you into his musical universe.

Make It Work: the girly song is not really my cup of tea, though.

Raised In Da Ghetto: move along to the swinging song. You are going to like Dymez’ ghetto anthem. Drums and vocals enhance the euphoric spirit of the song, that reaches its culmination while combining soulful female vocals to the chorus.

I’m also very enthusiastic about the very well handled drum beat in Yung Stunna. Dymez’ flow delivery takes you by storms while he drops his sharps words. Well done:)

Goon 2 A Goblin carries that rough, ghetto spirit. Catch the scary atmosphere, get surrounded by the repetitive vocals that create an unsafe, creepy atmosphere, while screaming violins will cut into the darker keyboard sounds.

Discover an outstanding hip hop artist who masters his art here.

Copyright© by Isabelle Esling
All Rights Reserved

Avarice hails from Danbury, USA. Inspired by hip hop’s greatest such as Nas, Rakim, Big Pun and many more, the young emcee has developped a rich, original style of his own.

In his Strive song, his chords are hammering, introducing the listener, into a tense, heartbeat interrupted atmosphere that describes a dangerous living mode. Rough times, men trying to make fast money, the dirt of the city, each element perfectly fits with the musical background in which bass and violins work together to increase the tension. You gotta like this sharp worded style!

Bad decision is built on soft salsa sounding vocals. A vague of nostalgic words are about to invade the listener’s ear, but Avarice’s vocal strength forces it to vanish like a weak cloud trying to hide the sun for a second. His remarkable flow, his energetic delivery, his rage in spitting his words make Avarice stand out amoung the infinite crowd of underground emcees.

Character Assassination opens up in a very dynamic and swinging way. Powerful piano notes are combined with Avarice’s mighty words that recall centuries of slavery. Politically incorrect on purpose, the song raises some insightful past historical and political issues. It also points an angry fist at contemporary hypocritical politicians. Maybe not approved nor endorsed by Barack Obama, the song nevertheless represents the voice of the hood.

Keyboard and soft vocals start Don’t Understand. Again, Avarice’s strong flow delivery comes to shine.

Discover hip hop passionate emcee Avarice here.

Copyright© by Isabelle Esling
All Rights Reserved