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
No comments:
Post a Comment