Review: "Shine" Album by TNV (That New Vessel)

“Shine” is the newest album from Detroit rapper TNV (That New Vessel) and his second release for 2020, the first being “Dirty Beautiful”. Throughout the course of 16 tracks (17 if you count the bonus track “Peace” available on the album’s Bandcamp page), TNV delivers motivational, uplifting anthems whilst examining his godly faith and the righteous, positive path he currently walks.

With this being my first listen to TNV’s work, I was thoroughly impressed by the thematic diversity, thoughtful wordplay and relatability he brought to this record. Yes, he delivers his fair share of inspirational cuts like the title track “Shine” (which features a fantastic verse from G.O.A.T - destined Brooklyn rapper Skyzoo), the lead single “Diamonds” and the incredibly moving “Motivated”. But his main focus involves rising over one’s social and moral circumstances in order to bring about internal and external change, even though it may seem like it’s too late (“Hurry Up”), overwhelming (“Only Now”) or difficult to the point of losing hope (“I Can’t Breathe”).

Though TNV isn’t afraid to express his Christian faith (like on “Point GOD” which features an excellent basketball-referencing verse from guest rapper Jered Sanders), he also exhibits fearlessness in revealing his past mistakes (which he does on tracks like the Common-sampling “Doin’ It”, the slightly disenchanted “Losing Myself” and the aptly-titled “Mistakes”) and personality flaws (like on the ego-centered “Get Over”).

The one main disappointment I had with “Shine” was the roughly 3-minute duration of each track. Even with its overall runtime being under an hour, the album does feel a tad bit overstuffed due to its lengthy track listing. And with every listen I gave this album, I still found myself wishing that at least one song could’ve crossed the 4 or even 5-minute mark.

Regardless, I still enjoyed “Shine”. I can imagine this album connecting more with die-hard fans of conscious hip hop than the average, trendy sound-seeking listener. But if you like your hip hop with depth and meaning – along with sharp wordplay and dope beats, of course – “Shine” is certainly worth the listen.

Stream and Share “Shine” on: Spotify | Bandcamp

Review: "The City Aint Safe" Album by Beeb

From the moment Brian de Palma’s “Scarface” became a part of hip hop culture, hip hop heads have found themselves intrigued by the calculated, ethical, resourceful and ambitious mindset of the hustler. “The City Aint Safe”, the newest album from Newark-based rapper Beeb, fits neatly into the violent and unpredictable world of street hustling, though lyrically it leans more towards personal insight and self-reflection than captivating narratives.

The production, handled entirely by Pyramid Tapes, is dark, cinematic and immersive. Within these soundscapes, Beeb adopts a cocky, cold-blooded, survivalist demeanor, keeping his ears to the streets, mind on his money and finger on the trigger. Despite his hushed, low-key delivery, Beeb commands every track on “The City Aint Safe”, thanks to his impressively proficient wordplay and appropriately bleak and self-aware topical focus.

The four guest rappers on the album deliver standout performances, from Plush Omega’s vicious contribution to “Desertion” (though I wish his vocals were less reliant on pitch-shifting) and Elespee’s rugged, stress-driven (to the point of baldness, in a noteworthy moment of dark humor) verse on the opening track “SOB (Sons of Babs)” to Calig Kontra and Moemaw Naedon who team up with Beeb to BODY the beat to “Old Times”. Though they appear overall on three tracks, their individual complementation of Beeb’s lyrical and thematic focus help create a sense of camaraderie throughout this record.

Where “The City Aint Safe” truly shines is the segmented use of what sounds like a real-life interview between a reporter and a Mafia boss. Every question asked by the reporter on the reasoning behind the boss’ nefarious activities is countered with an amoral yet honestly rational answer, from the importance of family (which opens “SOB”), the business side of his profession (on the interlude before “Old Times”) and the societal demand for his services (which concludes the final track “Stolen Land” on a chilling note). This interview brings a heightened level of focus and cohesion to the album and thus frames Beeb as a student of the gangsters of old, adopting their mindsets as a means to achieve financial freedom – by any means.

Overall, “The City Aint Safe” is a solid album, with some of Beeb’s strongest, most potent material to date. With so much hip hop to consume in the remaining weeks before 2021, I strongly recommend giving this album a listen, particularly if you’re a fan of unapologetically grimy street rap!

Stream and Share “The City Aint Safe” on: Spotify | Apple Music | Soundcloud

Review: "A Thousand Shades of Black." Album by Kaze4letters

“A Thousand Shades of Black.” is the newest album from North Carolina rapper and VibeHouse founder, Kevin “Kaze” Thomas a.k.a. Kaze4Letters. Upon my first impression of its rather clever title, I did go in to the album expecting Kaze4Letters to concentrate solely on current political and racial matters of concern in the U.S. To my surprise, he covers a wide variety of everyday topics from love and relationships to black excellence and self-improvement, all from a mature, thoughtful and socially conscious lens.

On the subject of politics and race, the album opens and closes with two of its most powerful tracks: “Wake Up” and “Good Trouble”. The former has a soul-stirring, piano-driven beat and lyrics based on the recent police shootings of Breonna Taylor and Philando Castile, among others. The mellow, jazzy track “Good Trouble” finds Kaze4letters verbally defying a broken system that has kept African Americans subjugated for decades.

As expected, there are a few motivational joints, like the upbeat, bouncy “Past the Sun” with its potent, self-affirmative lyrics and DOPE scratches from DJ Flash and “Bringing Me Down” with its themes of quelling external critics and embracing your greatness, backed by a tranquil musical backdrop, brilliantly sung hook by Kaze4letters himself and beautiful post-hook by guest singer Alo Ver.

There’s also a few love-and-relationship-centered cuts on the album, like the breezy, sunny track “Be Yours” where Kaze4letters raps and sings (he does some 90s-R&B-inspired crooning on the hook) to a girl he wants to share his life with, and “Higher” (which features a great hook from guest singer Ethan Taylor) where he pays tribute to his significant other.

But the album’s major highlight comes in the form of “Dear Son”, which involves Kaze4letters sharing words of wisdom with his son. Not only does it have the best instrumental (a driving, soulful, 9th Wonder-esque beat) and most heartfelt lyrics, but it truly feels like a destined moment where Kaze4letters finally imparts the lessons he’s learnt throughout his life to a new generation of listeners.

Overall, I really enjoyed “A Thousand Shades of Black”. The production is consistent throughout, the performances from Kaze4letters and his guests are stellar, the subject matter is varied, relatable and relevant and there’s no shortage of thoughts, opinions and wordplay brought to the table. Whether you’re a fan of Kaze4letters’ music from the jump, or a newbie like I am, this album is a definite must listen!

Stream and Share “A Thousand Shades of Black.” on: Spotify | Apple Music

Review: "Devotion" EP by Johnathan O’Gilvie

“Devotion” is the debut EP from Orlando R&B singer-songwriter/instrumentalist/producer Johnathan O’Gilvie. Consisting of 4 tracks, each under 2 ½ minutes, this EP tells a loose narrative of Johnathan’s devotion to an old flame.

On the bouncy, trap-based opening track “Cater 2 U”, emotions are reignited when Johnathan runs into his ex. Though she’s indecisive in terms of letting him back into her life, Johnathan assures her that he’ll always be there for her.

The following track “Favorite Song” has a smooth, relaxed beat, giving the impression that Johnathan and this woman have re-settled into their relationship. He eases the doubts and concerns she has on her mind by referencing lines from popular love songs, like the TIMELESS Mario song “Just a Friend”, most of which he interpolates in the second verse.

We then get the aptly-titled “Bad Shape” where, over a forlorn, nocturnal beat, Johnathan sings about how their relationship has gone south. In a powerfully self-aware moment, Johnathan tells his soon-to-be-ex on the hook that he doesn’t want her to suffer further in the relationship. He may see himself “in the right” of their current situation, but he’s not going to tie her down and make her feel unhappy.

On the closer “Trophy x Trophy”, with its moody yet slightly upbeat and hopeful instrumental, Johnathan chooses to compliment his ex on the strong, independent woman that she is instead of condemning her for the failed relationship. She’s already a “trophy”, and on the hook, Johnathan warns the next man to come into her life to treat her as such.

In the end, I found myself really enjoying this EP. It’s short, sweet and concise, with STELLAR vocal performances by Johnathan O’Gilvie, solid production and a highly-relatable, emotionally resonant narrative. I suspect this EP is designed to hold the world over until we get a full-length album from Johnathan, but in the meantime, if you’re looking for a little depth and meaning in your contemporary R&B and soul, I recommend giving “Devotion” a listen.

Stream and Share “Devotion”

Review: "Darrell" Album by Mitch Darrell

“Darrell” is the latest album from Raleigh, North Carolina-based Christian rapper Mitch Darrell. Prior to listening to this album, I checked out three of his earlier projects: 2016’s “Black Skin Colorless Soul”, 2017’s “My Experience” and 2019’s “Dreadhead Lando” (arguably the weakest of the three).

With Mitch’s new album, what impressed me from the jump was his wordplay, which has gotten considerably better since “Dreadhead Lando”. On “Mitch is Back”, he delivers a confident and purposeful first impression to both first-time and experienced listeners over a silky smooth, jazzy instrumental. Even on the delightful cypher “Rappity Rap” featuring Kody Free, Weez the Satellite Kiid and Joe Ayinde, Mitch shows that even amongst his peers, he can still be a formidable rapper.

Mitch also explores his Christianity and usage of rap as an outlet for mental and spiritual self-expression. On “No Turning Back Now” and “If I Die” respectively, Mitch raps about his imperfect yet spiritually necessary journey as a Christian, and his assurance that he will make it to Heaven once that journey has ended. On “Stuck”, he addresses his mental health, revealing that the anti-anxiety medication he continually takes leaves him depressed as a side effect. Though music is a successful cure to this depression, he questions the value of his musical output and overall rapping career on the following track “Give up my Dream”.

He even explores his own identity as an African American on the songs “I Wanna Quit” and “Black & Proud”, though in an appropriately narrow and broad focus respectively. The former, where Mitch expresses his loathing of his 9-to-5, hints that any chance at a higher position will most likely be hindered by his ethnicity. The latter is a joyous celebration of Black Pride, with its triumphant hook, upbeat instrumental (which switches to an EARGASMIC, G-funk-esque beat in the second half) and passionate performances by Mitch and guest rappers Montythehokage and James Gardin.

As a whole, “Darrell” is Mitch’s most well-conceived and well-assembled record in his discography thus far – and easily his best! The production, guest features and lack of filler help sustain the momentum of the album within its 14-track runtime and thematically, it’s guaranteed to stay with you long after you’ve heard it. If you’re a fan of conscious and/or Christian hip hop, this is an absolute must-listen!

Stream and Share “Darrell” on Spotify

Review: "Completion" Compilation Album by A.L. Laureate

As the speaker illustrates on the intro to “Completion”, the latest album from Miami-based rapper A.L. Laureate, “many pursuits will be finished and some will not. Either can be okay, as long as I can continually and regularly ask myself…..am I doing this for me or for some other purpose?” This project is essentially a compilation of previously unreleased tracks recorded long before, during and after the recording of his third album “Intrepid Perspective”, scheduled for release later this year. Admittedly, I should’ve checked out his previous projects in preparation for “Completion”, but thankfully this album gave me just enough insight into Laureate’s style and sound, and entertained the hell out of me in the process!

A.L’s love and admiration for ‘traditional’, pre-trap hip hop shines throughout the album’s 15-song tracklist, from his calculated - and rather poetic – wordplay to choices of thumping, head-nodding production. He even collaborates with renowned hip hop legends like D.J. Premier whose boom-bap instrumental he has fun with on the humorous “Dirty Underwear”, Detroit’s own Mr. Porter who provides the beat for the dramatic album opener “F.I.G.H.T. (Find Integrity Given Hard Times)” and Wu-affiliate Solomon Childs who delivers an excellent verse on the moody track “Within a Day” (one of the album’s highlights).

Each song is handled by a different producer, which does lessen the cohesion of the album with regards to production. Fortunately, this is a minor, albeit noticeable, flaw on “Completion”. Some producers provide musical backdrops for some of the album’s standout tracks and appear vocally on others – like the aforementioned “Within a Day” produced by Jof (whose unique flow on “Cents of Tranquility” manages to blend near- perfectly over its jazzy instrumental) and the chipmunk-soul-esque “Somebody Tell Me” produced by Cayoz (who appears on four tracks).

But the shining star in “Completion” is its host, as A.L. brings a heightened level of passion and focus that can only come from someone who loves his craft and truly wants to be a hip-hop torchbearer. This is significantly evident on the second half of the album, which starts with an emotionally moving tribute to his late brother Earl Patrick McNease (a.k.a. Praverb the Wyse), proceeds with one great song after another (like the Praverb-featured “Reason I Rise (Brainstormers Remix)”, my top favourite track on the album) and ends with the powerful “Equal Freedom” (whose hook alone is an instant earworm).

As a compilation and an intro to A.L.’s music, this album really worked for me! I’m looking forward to hearing a majority of the themes presented on this album (especially that of the legacy of his late brother he carries on through his music, which is a perfect answer to the question posed in the intro) explored further.

“Completion” has a little something for everyone, but overall, it’s music with punch, power and purpose, and more than enough to keep fans new and old satisfied until “Intrepid Perspective” comes out!

Stream and Share “Completion” on: Spotify | Bandcamp