1. Floe
2. The Essence
3. Guns And Butter
4. Protect My Family
5. Thug Melody
6. 86
7. The Line Up (Feat. Breezly Brewin, J-Treds, MF DOOM, Thirstin Howl III, Vast Aire & Wordsworth)
8. Buck 80
9. Battle Me
10. Elephant Gun
11. We Live
12. Yeah
13. Seal Killa
14. Dead Buffalos
15. Camouflage
16. 3 Card Molly
17. Revelations 15:2
I wasnt really sure what to think of C-Rayz Walz when this album dropped. Despite having an already impressive back catalog, this was actually the first release of his I ever checked out. I had heard his name mentioned countless times in the freestyle battle circuit, and he later caught my attention with his scorching verse on Cannibal Ox's 2001 masterpiece, 'The Cold Vein'. By the time this album's release rolled around I was completely immersed in the world of Def Jux. The record label was slowly and surely making me reassess what exactly it was I considered "Hip Hop" to be.
To make a long story slightly shorter....I pretty much copped this solely off the strength of it being a Def Jux release. I wish I could say I was down with Walz from the jump, but hey, better late then never, right? My first few sit downs with this album didnt turn out for the best. Sure it was an ok record, but I didnt really understand Walz as an mc. Was he a comical, punchline driven mc ala Eminem? Was he a social commentator and revolutionary like longtime collaborator Immortal Technique? Really I wasnt sure. Walz displayed so many different personalities all at once on this record, and to be honest it was a bit much to take in, it simply overwhelmed me and I shelved the album, not quite sure exactly what it was I had just listened to.
Revisiting the album years later though provided me with quite a shock. Coming back to this record with a more matured musical palette really opened it up for me. I finally understood the brilliance of C-Rayz's style. That being that it simply cant be fit in to any one category, his lyrics and flow evolve and change with every few bars and his mind is constantly shuffling a million different thoughts all at once. He bounces from clever punchline centered raps (see 'Battle Me': You work for who? so, I dont wanna get signed/my shadows chasing me, basically im ahead of my time), to heartbreaking revelations involving his past, on 'We Live' Walz shares...
Be Strong, the same thing I told my Mother/
With blood on her shoulder while she was holding my brother/
(We Live) where do-rags stay under the hat/
and you dont want waves, but the bandanna gotta match
Walz again touches the subject with greater detail on '3 Card Molly'
for the 5 times those dum dum's blast/
in the chest of my brother, that breath was the last one/
I dont believe it, my heart need a cast/
I told him "get out that lane cause it was too fast"/
Ain't it time to, cut these yellow lines/
the show must go on I got his younger brother on my mind/
Past tragic, wish I knew magic tricks/
I'd bring it back to the physical script/
And dreams is broke, he got smoked for coke/
in the form of rock What it made worse, he was on his own block/
At the funeral, I cried then laughed/
At the same time, my wrath, had me happy and sad
The album is littered with moments like this and every song finds us exploring a different personality of Mr. Walz. His songwriting is worth noting as well, C-Rayz proves himself to be one of the best songwriters the underground has to offer. At first I didnt think much of it, but months after my initial listen I found myself singing his choruses, something I can very, very rarely say for an underground mc. He plays with vocal inflections and melodies in such a way that you simply cant help but get his songs stuck in your head, its rather brilliant and ties his verses together to make the songs a cohesive entity, rather then random raps that were just thrown over the beats.
Speaking of which, the production is almost as brilliant as C-rayz himself. I would be lying if I said I knew who most of these dudes were, but they each turn in stunning performances. With beats ranging from absolutely haunting (the aforementioned 'We live') to light hearted and playful (Floe). 'Elephant Guns' and 'Dead Buffaloes' also stand out as utterly amazing instrumentals. Much like C-rayz's verse, every beat serves a purpose on this album and each and every one is put to use in the most effective manner. Couple all this with a classic Posse cut featuring a show stealing Verse from MF DOOM (The Line Up) and you have what is easily one of the best albums to come out of the Def Jux camp.
The only negatives I can find are the running time and the immense amount of depth that Walz displays on the mic. Firstly, at 17 full tracks, most of which clock in at over 4 minutes, the album can start to drag in the second half. Its not that the music is any less effective, its just that with such long running time it really takes a certain level of dedication to get through it all in one sitting. Walz himself can be a very hard mc to get in to, his quirky voice and flows can make him hard to understand at times, and his lyrics often take multiple listens and rewinds to decipher. People such as myself will love this, others wont bother investing the time to see the end reward, shame really.
Overall the album is simply amazing, its one thats going to take a while to grow on you, but given the chance im sure you'll fall just as deeply in love with it as I have. From the polished production to the catchy hooks, the album delivers on just about every level and is a must for underground hip hop fans.
Pro's
-Great flows and lyrics
-Very solid productions
-Well crafted hooks
-Interesting subject matter and concepts
Con's
-Album runs a bit long
-Its a pretty hard album to get in to, Walz is an acquired taste
-Walz sometimes has trouble focusing on one subject for long periods of time
Overall - 4/5
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