producers: definition, zone ill, ill poetic

guests: huntor prey

There's something about Ohio, that makes this place be host to a remarkable amount of good music. And while many of the names are already known, talked about and carried into the world, it's getting even more remarkable, when suddenly out of nowhere there appears a group that you can only praise in an abundance of ways. And the crew that demands this is going by the name of Definition. The two members call Cincinnati their home, and with they Zone Ill and Ill Poetic is meant. They are also part of the Cosmic Souls collective, and believing the inside of their cover, there will be a Cosmic Souls compilation coming up, along with several other projects from the clique. But we are talking about thing that shouldn't be relevant right now, because this moment belongs to Definition, and us paying tribute to their incredible EP.

"What Is Definition?" is opening the EP with words that are of a spoken word kind. The poet is Huntor Prey, and he speaks on the shackles that the word 'definition' carries in its core, what then however gets twisted to a pointing out the chances. And while the very first few seconds belong to plush strings, it's a plucking piano that picks up the remaining seconds. Already on the second cut we need to take a deep breath, because the enormousness of the beat is filling the available room, and may it only be the space between the headphones and your ears. This cut is "Definition", what obviously operates as the introduction, that allows us to draw the first conclusion: the two cats are dope behind the mic as well. Cause their flows are proper, the topics they chose to talk about are not always of the stereotypical clever cats type rhetoric.

The piano is still present on "Analysis", but it's combined with a reggae-ish guitar. The title of the cut is consisting of the word, that describes the action that these cats are doing on this song. They are however not opening their eyes to look into the world, but they are pointing it onto themselves, as they are trying to explain and explore their inner talents, as well as the products that make it to the outside. "Amina" is going the story telling route, as we are listening to the two cats meeting an impressive lady at two different occasions, with the climax of the story being rather obvious, while the two Ill's are still able to keep the progress to end entertaining.

What then leads us into the solo track "Reason" by Zone Ill. And he's flowing over a self produced beat, that is giving us another incredible piano, that is perfectly fitting the more poem like verses. They are intending to expose all the reasons behind the hard to understand. Ill Poetic then somewhat goes for dolo, as he does the beat, as well as the lyrics on "Reflection". And together with the previous track, this allows you to hear the differences in styles and deliveries these two cats have. Moving on we get the rather content and happy "To The Beat...", where the paper with the changing the world rhymes is being put to the side, and the sheet with the straight flowing is picked up. What then leaves us with "Wake Up". And unlike you should do with a demo (put the best cut first), Definition put the best track last. Ill Poetic once more dug up one incredible sample, that consists of one of the most beautiful pianos that we've heard in a minute. Things then change for a break and are even flipped towards the end of the cut, proving that Definition is too cool to overloop this sample. The lyrics have to be overshadowed by this bliss, but with them being conscious and willing to say something of relevance, they are completing one amazing track.

But it's not just this one cut that has us be enormously happy about this record. While at the same time we have to acknowledge that the eight cuts on here are very much focusing on one style, that has us wonder about the versatility and even universality of their appeal. What once more is a ridiculous statement in the face of dope rhymes and dope beats. We probably should just be happy with being given something as nice as this, and halt our bickering.