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| As "Hydrogen" blasts through your stereo, you might assume that "Mockinbyrd Slang" is going to continue in this vein and provide thirteen tracks of southern bounce, littered with synth notes, stuttering beats and
rambunctious lyrics. But didn't anyone ever tell you not to read a book by its cover? 'Cause once Gibraan's words on "Hydrogen" begin to sink in, and you delve deeper into what the man and his album have to offer, you realise that the production
of a bouncing party-rap album probably didn't rate highly on his list of concerns. |
| Gibraan is actually 'G.I.B.R.A.A.N' - an acronym for 'General Infinite Beyond Rhymes And Any Nonsense' - and his claim of being beyond nonsense is certainly one of the things that define him as a rapper. Over the bare beat of "Who is Gibraan?" he declares "I'm nobody
homie; know God and save your own life" which he later reformulates on "Strictly For My N.I.N.J.A.Z." to describe himself as "Christ descending on the crowd" and this offers some insight into the direction his rapping takes.
As rap ministry (or 'Holy Hip Hop') goes, "Mockinbyrd Slang" is a fine example of an album which upholds notions of living well and respecting religion without compromising itself as enjoyable music. Gibraan's supposed ability to avoid nonsense is founded in his belief that he is a vocal medium
for religious truth (hence the 'Christ' claim) and while he delivers intriguing lyrics throughout, T-Boy underlines the whole project with professionally-produced, often innovative beats. |
| "Lonely Christmas" just might be the high-point of the album as Gibraan's ponderings about his place on earth address concerns of life's meaning and humankind's relationship with a greater power. T-Boy's contribution to
the track is a melancholy piano and, with the addition of Tonex' distinctive and soulful voice, this is a million miles away from the impression the opening bars of "Hydrogen" conjured up. "Beyond Rhymes" and "The Rap Nureaupean
Anthem" are the two examples of T-Boy's most progressive production: the former alternating between slow and fast bars (which Gibraan's flow nicely imitates), and building as the track progresses; and the latter being characterised by the vocal sample it uses which claims 'no-one has ever
done anything like this'. I'm still undecided as to whether "The Rap Nureaupean Anthem" beat is actually any good, but it's certainly one of the most unusual efforts I've heard in a long time with curious, almost conflicting time signatures
and samples that jump all over the place. |
| By the time "Afghan Borders & Bloodstained Banners" rolls around, you've already made it through eleven very good tracks which certainly address religion, but are better characterised by T-Boy's production and Gibraan's
affecting delivery. And "Afghan Borders & Bloodstained Banners" is unfortunately where the system breaks down a little; in comparison to what's gone before, T-Boy offers particularly weak production here, and the combination of that and
the annoying repetitive chorus overshadows the political message Gibraan tries hard to expound. "Shabach Part II" follows and doesn't quite manage to revive "Mockinbyrd Slang" as it basically revisits the territory of its predecessor with a less pounding beat and ultimately
to less effect. |
| But even though the album's conclusion may leave the listener a little unsatisfied, it doesn't undo the good impressions formed by the majority of the other tracks. From the melodic female vocals on the hook of "Beautiful Angels" to the hand-claps and bass of "Mr
Black San Diego", there's enough to keep you going back, and Gibraan's ability to address his intentions without insisting on the all-importance of religion doesn't hurt either. |
| review: cornerstone |
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