Hopefully Not the Last from ‘Kiss

The Spin: Jadakiss – The Last Kiss
Released April 7, 2009
The Island Def Jam Music Group 2009
[rate 4]

If you’ve followed Jadakiss’ career at all, it’s easy to see that he’s consistently put out some of the most solid work in the genre since as far back as The Lox. Although every album has its fair share of what would be deemed commercial songs (and they’re just as good as anything else you would hear on the radio), he hasn’t managed to reach the type of mega-stardom as Lil Wayne or 50 Cent or even gained the type of mainstream notariety as someone like Mims or Chingy. I think plenty would argue that Jadakiss’ lyricism would have him fare well in a battle with any of these guys and the beats that pervade his albums are definitely good, if not equal to his rapping.

“The Last Kiss” finds itself again without a huge hit, but has managed to garner plenty of praise and respectable sales. But also like most of his albums, it’s sort of a mixed bag and lacks continuity. There are a couple of Neptunes beats that stick out, there are beats that sound just five minutes too dated, and then there are southern-style club bangers in the middle of it. Content-wise, Kiss is equally sporadic.

In “Who’s Real,” we hear Swizz Beats’ familiar voice and horn arrangements. For whatever reason, Swizz Beats has certainly mastered his particular brand of simple drum patterns and synth arrangements (which he’s claimed to accomplish in fifteen minutes or less), although he does add in samples, from time to time. His lyrics definitely have not received the same amount of attention for good reason. However, Swizz Beats, in collaboration with other artists, provides a recipe for very effective rap tunes. Thankfully, Jadakiss does a good job of complimenting the track. OJ Da Juiceman provides fairly weak guest lyrics.

Anyone who’s heard a Jadakiss album knows that he’s fairly obsessed with guns. “Smoking Gun” serves as a manifestation of that, but with a sort of twist. This song is a sort of Bonnie & Clyde tale, but more socially conscious and more vengeful. Yeah, actually, it’s more like one of those highly entertaining albeit cheesy revenge flicks from the seventies. At any rate, the content of the song is really interesting and the beat’s pretty nice. I don’t want to give away more than that because it’s such a cool song. Instead, I’d encourage anyone to check it out.

“Respect My Conglomerate” is a Busta Rhymes song that is included on the Itunes version of Kiss’ album. The female vocals sound like they’re sampled, but they’re not. The hook is really cool. The beat’s fairly poppy and simplistic, but effective. Busta Rhymes delivers as always and Jada doesn’t disappoint, either. “Grind Hard” and “Something Else” serve as Jadakiss’ attempt to get in good with the south, even including a verse from Young Jeezy on the latter. “Grind Hard” features a hook by Mary J. Blige and is appropriately catchy.

If I had to describe Jadakiss’ career to someone, I’d say something like, “Jadakiss is a five-star lyricist who consistently makes four-star albums.” It’s hard to not feel like if he just had an album with two or three really big hits that he could be on the same eschelon as someone like Jay-z or Nas.
I think it’s unfortunate that this isn’t the case, but I certainly keep hoping for it, and considering that he’s one of the only good hip-hop artists still doing big things in New York, his time may be yet to come. Predictably, I give this album four out of five stars.

Mother Effing DOOM

The Spin: Doom – Born Like This
Released March 24, 2009
2009 Lex Records
[rate 4.5]

There’s often talk about the rappers that producers want to work with and vice versa. Three Six Mafia once had an album titled MOST KNOWN UNKNOWN. It seems that MF Doom has become that guy. MF Doom has worked with many of hip-hop’s most recognized producers and contributed verses to many hip-hop projects. His work on DANGERDOOM eventually assisted DJ Dangermouse in winning a grammy, while MADVILLAIN remains one of the most popular albums to date among the underground hip-hop scene. For BORN THIS WAY, Doom shows his production meddle, having produced most of the tracks on the album.

Lyrically, the album, as in all MF Doom’s work, is chock full of internal rhyme and silly, often crude, but clever one-liners. Content-wise, Doom’s always all over the map. His persona entails him speaking from the position of a villain, and as it is hip-hop, certainly a boisterously confident one.

Those familiar with the work of J Dilla (and if you’re not familiar, you should do yourself a favor and get familiar) will certainly appreciate the collaboration of these two well-regarded artists on “Gazillion Ear” and “Lightworks.” It’s safe to say that MF Doom’s style of production requires some crate-digging on his part, and the Dilla tracks that he utilizes certainly fit very well with his other tracks. Tracks from G-Unit production’s Jake One also stand out. Besides those, MF Doom’s tracks often provide a somewhat whimsical quality, derived from the samples he chooses, often relatively obscure.

Doom employs vocals from everyone from Wu-Tang’s Ghostface Killah, as Tony Starks, and Raekwon (on a track that more or less is simply rapped over the oft-sampled ESG’s “UFO”), to Rhymesayers’ brethren Slug, to classic hip-hop veterans Prince Paul and Posdnous. It seems quite an honor to be asked to guest on an MF Doom album, and the artists certainly don’t slack, when given the opportunity.

Standout tracks from the album include “Gazillion Ear,” “Rap Ambush,” and “That’s That.” While Doom is certainly a deft producer, many of his beats lack the impact of those of Dangermouse’s or Madlib’s or Dilla’s or Jake One’s. With all the money he’s certainly made from various projects and the success that employing these producers would certainly garner him, I do wish he’d use them more. However, it is a very good album and one of the best to this point this year. While I’m hoping for more Madvillain and the like, I give this album four and a half stars.

…Incidentally, Thom Yorke of Radiohead fame remixed “Gazillion Ear.” It’s pretty cool.

A Tale of Two Cities

The Spin: Cappadonna – Slang Prostitution
Released September 30, 2008.
2009 Chambermusik Records
[rate 2.5]

When you think about Cappadonna’s lyrics and put them in context, you’re tempted to sympathize with him, to excuse the fact that he’s never carved his way into the mainstream, despite obvious indications that it’s what he’d prefer. There’s a sense of the underdog and, at the same time, the diamond in the rough in Cappadonna’s witty lyricism and tough Yankee swagger (I’m getting tired of that word. I’m soon going to think of a more pleasing alternative to it). But when you listen to him deliver those lines that expose all his vulnerability, every ounce of his soul tells you not to feel anything for him, but to be captivated by his lyrics and moved by the music. He’s not pulling any punches and he doesn’t expect you to be there if he slips up. So when he titles his album, “Slang Prostitution,” make no mistake, his words may be for sale, but his pride and integrity aren’t going anywhere.

Historically, Cappadonna’s been in and out of The Wu-Tang Clan, and in and out of the New York hip-hop consciousness. He even took a few months on hiatus as a cabdriver before re-finding Jesus, as it were, and getting back into the scene. As an emcee that’s always commanded utmost respect from hip-hop heads within and outside of Gotham, he’s had a painstakingly difficult time trying to get beats that his constituency can move to, despite such a close relationship with one of the all-time great and most-respected beat makers. The trend isn’t over, unfortunately.

The lyrics throughout the album give you this pervasive sense that no matter what his circumstances, he always has a puncher’s chance. He comes with all the confidence in his delivery of a rapper that’s holding Billboard’s ownership at bay. The album starts with him declaring, “You can’t keep a good man down/I been through it all/ Slept on the ground/ Even my best friend turned they back/ And my label made brothers wasn’t cuttin’ me no slack.”

In “Walk With Me,” Cappadonna breaks his tough guy persona to reach out to a special female human person being. While there’s enough re-tread corniness here to make you yawn at the lyrics, the beat stands out on the track and overall, it’s the kind of catchy track that generally eludes Cap.

“Stories” is the type of minimalistic grimy track that sees Cappadonna at his most comfortable and the outcome is an authentic street jam that’s infectious. It seems that his lyricism does in fact infect, as JoJo Pellegrino’s and 3rd Diglah’s vocals here are superior to those of most of the features on the album. “What’s Really Up?” is a track with a similar feel and similar excellence, as Cappadonna recalls the type of adversity he’s faced in his New York Experience over an old soulful loop and heavy drums.

Staying with the dark, grimy mood that mostly pervades this album, “Somebody’s Gotta Go” addresses some of the more brutal realities of gangsterism. Again, Cappadonna’s lyrics deliver with cogency,poignancy, and wit, with Lounge Lo contributing solid vocals, as well.

There’s a soulfulness to many of the beats on this album, epitomized by “Fire.” Where Cappadonna, with the assistance of Masta Killa, describes what he brings to the table.

Overall, this album manages to excel and fail equally, to mass frustration. No one doubts Cappadonna’s deft lyricism, but musically, this album, like his albums of the past, is hit and miss, only that he’s gotten stuck in a style that feels fairly archaic, this side of The Big Apple. Anyone who’s followed Cappadonna or Wu-Tang at all, realizes that Cappadonna has excellent albums in him just waiting to be brought to light. Unfortunately, until someone else starts picking out beats for him or he has a revelation, we’re left to listen to excellent rhyming over beats that never did much for us, but do even little now. The album, sadly, gets two and a half stars.