Another one off the "best underground hip hop albums" lists. I'm just about out of these pretty soon here.
I've tried a lot of styles and genres and subgenres during this project, and I often resort to lists on websites and message boards for recommendations. Nothing has as consistently borne fruit as the underground hip hop scene, where I've loved a bunch of albums that were recommended (Binary Star, Organized Konfusion, and Canibal Ox to name a few). This is another winner, hitting that sweet spot between hard and melodic, between aggressive and thoughtful, that I could never find on the polarized gansta-postive mainstream endpoints.
Blu loves hip hop. He raps honestly, confidently, without overemoting, without bragging beyond his means. It comes to light most poignantly on roundabout seduction track First Things Firsts, where every sentiment is paired with a but- counterpoint, revealing the complexity and thoughtfulness of a rapper who still spits with authority, who balanced complexity with landing squarely on the ends of lines.
The production is Steely Dan smooth, with loping bass, funky, full of deep grooves, but without getting heavy. A nice piece of balance, with few truly standout moments, but with plenty of character and nary a line out of place. The high end of 4/5
You might like this if: you're looking for some hip hop that bobs heads on the surface, with rewarding details underneath, and like having a winning personality at the helm
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