Message music – some listeners require it, some label it as boring. But in terms of an artistic perspective, can an emcee really make a classic album in this day and age without saying anything? When Rakim revolutionized emceeing, he didn’t have to make message music, his rhyme schemes, flow, and wordplay alone made his first two albums classics. As hip hop has grown, though, the bar has been raised. Blackalicious is one duo that still displays creative rhyming, and certainly doesn’t sacrifice wordplay, but weaves it all together in a goal of advancing the culture and redefining the art.
On their first full-length release, Chief Xcel and Gift Of Gab create a consistently calm and soulful, yet eclectic vibe. Nia’s intro sets the poetic mood: “Oh how we struggle, and the more we avoid it, the greater the struggle becomes… until we realize, the struggle is the blessing.” The pace picks up on “The Fabulous Ones” with typical rapid-fire rhymes from Gift of Gab. This is not exactly the message music I was speaking about, rather multi-syllabic wordplay that Gab is also known for. “Super-fabulous, the patterns have been upgraded/ Triple stamina, commando get your hut raided/ Couldn’t handle if you panicked and your luck faded/ Keep on yappin out your trap and I’m gonna duck tape it.”
On “Deception,” Gift of Gab showcases his storytelling abilities, telling the tale of a young rap star enamored with his fame and fortune. After he has turned his back on his friends, he has nowhere to go once times get rough. “A to G” is more wordplay, using alliteration for each letter, and still impressively making it coherent. Both these songs were already available on the A2G EP, however.
“Cliff Hanger” has to be one of the most innovative joints in a long time, not just lyrically, but musically. DJ Shadow creates a sound that has a techno feel to it, and constantly changes throughout the 6 minute song. Over each movement, Gab develops a fictious tale of a woman he meets in a club. As he says, it is pure creativity. This track might scare the simple-minded, loop loving, topically limited listener, but it is really a work of art.
Either messages or artistry are laced throughout. Blackalicious never gets lazy. On “Shallow Days,” Gab says, “I won’t contribute to genocide/ I’d rather try to cultivate the inside/ And try to evolve the frustrated ghetto mind/ The devil and his army never been a friend of mine/ But niggas don’t wanna hear that shit.” “Making Progress” spreads a positive message, giving hope to even those who are in jail or have gone down the wrong path. Gab encourages people to progess, or changes their ways if they are not, while still respecting everyone’s circumstances. “Sleep” is another utterly beautiful, positive track. It is the most mellow song on the album, and Gab just expresses finding beauty in everyday life, mixed in among anxiety and cruel reality.
Chief Xcel’s contributions cannot be ignored. “Smithzonian Institute of Rhyme” (featuring Lateef) sounds like a beat that would be used for snake-charming, with flutes used like you probably haven’t heard in hip hop before. The piano in “Sleep” sets the mood for another wonderful beat. Just like Gift of Gab always rhymes with a purpose, Chief Xcel strives to be innovative. This works sometimes better than others, but regardless, it gives Blackalicious a totally unique sound.
The major fault with Nia is the fact that three of its good songs were already released. If they were taking songs from the EP, it would have been nice to see “Clockwork” included on this album. Still, there are plenty of other songs to make it worth purchasing, even if you own “A2G.” The few spectacular songs aren’t enough to make Nia a classic, but you won’t find a bad song on it either. It is a deeply personal, distinctive, and melodic LP.
-Joe Kostelnik
