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| tracklisting |
| 1. G's Intro Rhyme |
| 2. The Underground MC |
| 3. Petro |
| 4. Bitch Gimme My Money |
| 5. Do For Self |
| 6. Concrete Jungle feat. Chocolate |
| 7. Humble Son feat. Angel Citron |
| 8. Virtual Realtiy |
| 9. Classic |
| 10. A Journey |
| 11. Look Out |
| 12. We Live This |
| 13. Nightshift |
| 14. Let The Beat Funk |
| 15. Feel The Love |
| 16. Sunrise |
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| Remember rap? Pure rap. No glitz, no gimmicks, no glory. Yes, it existed. Actually, yes, it exists. Invisible is stripping rap off its glamour baggage and steps up cleansed, pure and simple. In his world, people have to stand (up) for themselves, and as a self-proclaimed loner, he
keeps the record simple and (almost completely) minus guests. Remember albums without guest appearances? Yes, they existed. Actually, yes, they exist. |
| Invisible steps up with the first single "Do For Self", again fitting the tune of what we've previously discussed. The beat by Mondee is very catchy, and it has the hook to match. But as much as Invisible is saying things
of value - you know those 'conscious' things (whatever that may be) - here he is also getting out the verses to big himself up. And when he's bigging himself up that can be understood as a general call for people to realize their self-esteem and the power within. Yes, that's off the bio, but nevertheless
true. |
| But that's the album in a nutshell for you: it's combining the necessary braggadocios 'you're all wacker than me' rhetoric, along with the observing and reality based verses of a "Concrete Jungle", one of the two tracks that feature guest rhyming. Here Chocolate appears
over a rather dramatic beat that's used to talk about a lot of drama out there, left of the unrealistic fabulous lifestyles of 'bling bling', rich girls and cribs. "We Live This" goes in a similar direction, as it again reminds us that
what many glorify, others have to actually live, and it's not that sweet. Over another Mondee beat, Invisible reaches everyone that grows up with less than two TVs and no vacation outside of town. That's both a frustrating and saddening whilst none the less realistic outlook, but you do get the balance
in a song like "Sunrise". Here a guitar prepares us for the light at the end of the tunnel, as well as the light that tickles the skin and prevents the world to stay this dark and cold place. At the same time however, the song is not mushy happy, but it's positive in a realistic way,
refusing to give up hope. |
| But Invisible is not one to give you much more to distract yourself from the gray world out there. Even the future for "The Underground MC" is not looking too lovely. As explored in said song. Here the layout of a possible
and quite likely future is coupled with an undertone of the incompleteness of fairness, when you have to rap, play sports or act to be able to make it out of the 'concrete jungle'. Turning the future to the past and the general to the personal, "A Journey"
forces us the audience on him - the loner, as we travel along, for good or ill. |
| On the production side of things, the range goes from the good usage of a piano on "Humble Son" by BT, to the rather bad of "Look Out", done by Invisible himself. In between we get an unimpressive "Virtual
Reality", a much better whilst reduced "Nightshift" and an uninspired "Let The Beat Funk." The three BT interludes then hold the whole thing together and actually give us more than just shining moments: "Bitch Betta Have My Money" is nice with
its blues guitar and "Classic" could actually be completed to a classic if the right person uses it. |
| But even though Invisible is good, he's not really that good yet to create much of a classic. You must argue that too much on this record is an epic travel away from being anything new. What makes the record what it is: good standard rap, that does not try to be more, but enjoys to
remember what the core of this initial idea was. Along with a very strong socially observing content, this record is willing to give you these reasons to please, while everything it does not do is done just as willingly. |
| review: tadah |
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