SHORT skits and near tracks are a standard feature of albums by many an overactive hip hop artist, few would spend precious disc time on a prayer from a religion founded in 19th Century Iran as Blue Scholars do on their second release Bahani.
Propounding any religious, or even spiritual belief, is a brave step in a genre where superstardom seems to be laid at the feet of hard-core, self-interested materialists perfectly illustrated by the the odious Get Rich Or Die Trying manifesto of Fifty Cent.
However, Hip Hop has always been a broad church (although this must be a first for the Baha'i faith), and it's truly refreshing to hear that the greatest financial boast on this engaging album is MC Geologic's pride at finally getting a comma in his checking account balance - a well deserved comma it is too.
Geologic's laid-back delivery should draw you in - Gangstarr is name-checked in the album publicity and the Northwestern MC has Guru's smokey timbre. This may be politically angry music, but it's a reasoned coffee house argument rather than a scream from the barricades and it's no surprise to learn that Geologic learned his trade as much at the poetry slam as at the MC battle and he claims a touch of ADD on" Ordinary Guy" too.
Don't think however, that our academic twosome want to trap you in a corner and educate the life out of you.
Geologic's partner Sabzi has crafted an imaginative and listenable backing for the lessons in politics. There's plenty of room in this record, which revives the virtues of the soulful in flowing soundscapes heavy on jazz piano, gentle vocal hooks, old school beats and a commendably open-minded sound palette. World music, dubby touches, and the machine noises of intelligent dance music (check out the wibbly wobbly synth line on "Still Got Love") all come into the mid tempo party.
Article comments
1 - Dr. Don Addison
I think this association with the Bahai faith is interesting because Seals and Crofts are Bahais and Dizzie Gillespie was Bahai. So thank you for publishing this. I hope to read more on this. Thank you.
2 - Dr. Don Addison
I think this association with the Bahai faith is interesting because Seals and Crofts are Bahais and Dizzie Gillespie was Bahai. So thank you for publishing this. I hope to read more on this. Thank you.