Global rating of the product: 4.75 stars (a must hear)
If you are pretty much connected with Detroit hip hop scene Waajeed and Bling 47 have an original piece of work to present to the world. It resembles nothing else you ever heard yet.
The main element that comes to shine during the whole CD is the instrumental richness and the mastery in drum playing.
Life is a struggle during which humans seem to be more in a state of war than of peace. One gotta struggle to acquire what he really wants. True to the very ancient roots of hip hop, Waajeed and Bling 47 possess this amazing ability to make hundreds of African drums resonate into the listener s heart like a sole man s powerful and prophetic voice. Heartbeats alike, measuring tensions and time, creating a language in itself, the drums do indeed play a major role in many songs.
You could barely stay indifferent in front of so much instrumental mastery, that also allies an intelligent and eclectic use of keyboards and electric guitar sounds to the preexisting drum sounds.
I must say that I am really impressed in front of artists who manage to make their instrumentals speak louder than a human voice. Besides the beautiful sonority of the album, the beauty of the CD also relies in its old school flavor. The artists bless the mic with a beautiful flow and verbal dexterity.
Juggling with vowels, exercising their creativity, making hip hop for the love of it, the amazing emcees bring heat into their art.
The Big Beat is a subtle combination of powerful drum beats, organ, violin, electric guitar sounds and keyboard sounds: there is an army marching on, determined to take over by force. You will certainly love the complexity of the amazing instrumental track that totally speaks for itself, leaving place to some evaporated human voices in the background.
King Heroin is based on a James Brown sample. It describes the dangers of addiction-sarcastically, though.
Louder Than A Bomb will explode into your ear and take you by surprise after the short introduction. A fast flow delivery, a good old school style, some scratches in the background, each elements totally matches with the lyrical creativity.
Built on a dark bass background, Agent Orange develops a reflection about the mistake a person can make in his/ her life. Regardless of the mistakes we make, we need to keep the flame of our passion alive.
When you live in the hood, the state of war is permanent.
Prisoners Of War is probably the most powerful track of the album. Like bullets pouring out of a gun, the powerful reps emerge from the artist’s mouth , ready to smash the world lyrically. Enter into a metaphoric world in which juggling with vowels delivers the cipher’s deepest secrets.
Again, the drum beats play a major role in delivering a message of mortal combat in which only a mastered street poetry can win. Scratches sounds enhance the beauty of the well written old school track.
Globally speaking The War mixtape is a powerful demonstration of instrumental and lyrical knowledge.
The only weakness of the CD are the numerous spoken parts in my opinion. Besides that, it is excellent.
Give it a listen: you won’t regret it!
Copyright 2007 by Isabelle Esling
All Rights Reserved