Jake One
White Van Music
Rymesayers, 2008
Back in November, I wrote about how much I liked Jake One's single "The Truth." I finally got around to buying a copy of the album at the end of December. I went big, and got the deluxe edition with the bonus instrumental disc. First off, I have to say that Rhymesayers does CD's right: the packaging is nice, and the liner notes make the extra money you spend for a physical copy worth it. There's nothing worse than plopping down 14 or 15 bucks for a CD only to realize that all your getting is a single-sided insert.
The album features a ton of rappers on it. Jake One is a producer who has worked with G-Unit et. al, and he rallied up a diverse group of rappers to spit bars over his beats. Besides Freeway and Brother Ali on "the Truth," the album has Young Buck, MF DOOM, Slug, Busta Rhymes, Casual, Little Brother, Posdnous from De La Soul, M.O.P., Keak Da Sneak, Elzhi, Royce Da 5/9, Blueprint, Prodigy, and a whole bunch of other dudes. It's an odd mix of backpack rappers and more hardcore rappers, and that's the one thing that turns me off a bit about the whole project. I love the tracks by MF DOOM, Elzhi, and the other indie rappers, but the gutter tough-talking by the other rappers got old. I don't need to hear rappers called out for having "sand in their pussy." What does that even mean? I'd be curious to know if the other end has the same problem I have, but in reverse. In other words, are G-Unit fans feeling the Young Buck and Bishop Lamont tracks, but wondering what the hell is up with Slug and MF Doom?
Luckily, I got the bonus instrumental disc, which allows me to enjoy the dusty grooves Jake One delivers without being distracted by the gangsterism some of the rappers drop. "White Van Music" may not be totally consistent, but it's still worth a listen.
(Thanks to hiphopst.blogspot.com for the image.)
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