- Artist
- Mr J Medeiros
- Label
- Rawkus
- Release date
- 30th July 2007
- Genre
- Hip hop
Refreshingly old-school offering from conscience-heavy rapper
Mr J Medeiros is perhaps better known as one of the founding members of alternative hip-hop outfit The Procussions. On this, his debut solo album, he continues to tackle the weighty themes that the group are known for. Of Gods And Girls stakes its territory very firmly in the left field, eschewing much of the anodyne cars-girls-money-synthesisers trapping of most of today’s commercial rap in favour of some retro samples and drums-based production. Lyrically, however, is where the album’s real strength exists.
The strongest track is undoubtedly Constance - Medeiros’s child pornography and human trafficking lament - although heavy hitters such as Call You (dealing with family and heritage) and Keep Pace (complete with a nicely self-deprecatory tacked-on skit which pokes fun at his cash-centric peers) also succeed. While Of Gods And Girls sometimes lapses into coffee-table jazziness, and the lyrical earnestness can become wearing, overall, the blend of conscience, flair and tight beats is enough to keep the listener interested.
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