Ransom and Statik Selektah----The Proposal

Ransom and Statik Selektah-The Proposal--(2013)

Artist: Ransom and Statik Selektah

Album: The Proposal

Label: Independent           

Producers: Statik Selektah

The year of hip hop is sounding way different these days with trap music and club style tracks. As of late, a reminiscent style of hip hop has re-emerged. There is a slowly trend of projects with a emcee/producer landslide. It goes back to one of the favorite duos Gang Starr and this year there are many such as Prodigy and the Alchemist. This includes New Jersey’s emcee Ransom and one of the most prolific producers Statik Selektah which has been the duo to look out for. With their opus “The Proposal”, the group will offer straight basic hard lyricism and head knocking boom bap production.

This album puts the feel of the golden era 90’s music that many people crave for. The beginning of the album makes perfect sense of how to introduce the album. Statik Selektah blessed Ransom with the organ, synths and piano infused production beats on tracks like “I Do”, “Unexplainable” and “Outcast”. Ransom spits the heavy confessions to the musical art form on “I Do”: I know I doubted you/I cheated on you with all the things that empowered you/How can you love me, why would you want me/thought it was love, it was pain that brought me. Ransom honesty shine heavily on tracks like “Life of Sin” where Statik Selektah infused the 90’s scratches from Biggie and 2Pac while “Reservoir Scars” is a clever track where Ransom splits the personalities of bank robbers with that high energy production and Styles P joins in with Ransom on that hyper addicted “It’s Ransom”.

This album takes the listener through memory lane with hardcore scratches, boom bap music production and slick clever rhymes. Ransom expands well with subject matter whether its storytelling or braggadocios tracks. “Jade” is one of the tracks that places perspective from his storytelling point of view. Which make this project balanced well is although it’s short of ten songs, Easy Money and Styles P are the only appearances and they did not overshadow the project which is a plus. Unfortunately, this project will sink below the radar because of the fans that only care about contemporary style. Other fans including myself will embrace this album to the fullest. What separates “The Proposal” from other emcee/producer projects is Statik Selektah tests Ransom with his production by bringing out Ransom’s hunger; it has an updated golden era feel without reinventing the wheel. Ransom sharp edgy lyrics and Statik Selektah’s boom bap production bring “The Proposal” a phenomenal offering to the fans with a new modern era sound.

            Strong Tracks: “I Do”, “Unexplainable”, “Reservoir Scars”, “It’s Ransom”, “Outcast”, “Life of Sin”, “Jade”

            Rating: out of