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Thi’sl is the type of artist that only comes around every once in a while.  Raw, hardcore and has experienced enough ups and downs in life to really not care whether or not you like him or what he has to say.  An individual that is as polarizing and influential as a 2Pac, while still being a figure who has clearly been transformed and refined by the grace of God.   Fallen King is as much a story of the old Thi’sl as it is the current young thug on the corner in your local hood.  It’s a story that paints a vivid picture of the environment that shaped Thi’sl in his early years, interwoven with the message of redemption and salvation that has become his new reality. Read More Here

Thi’sl is a great emcee and has been great for the growth and expansion of Christian Hip-Hop. His resume is amazing. Thi’sl has accomplished some things in his career that few other artists have. Thi’sl has consistently been high on the iTunes hip-hop charts, he has multiple CHH anthems, and he’s achieved high levels of crossover success. He has given the genre some classic songs and albums, and he’s been apart of some of the best collaborations.

Fallen King was originally intended to be an EP, but turned into more after Thi’sl was inspired by the verdict in the Trayvon Martin case. If this doesn’t get you hype, maybe Thi’sl himself saying this is some of his best work will do the trick. Thi’sl shows no sign of slowing down. This record is set to grow his great legacy.

More of the same

Throughout his career Thi’sl has been amazingly consistent and very authentic. He never strays from his target audience or from the type of music he believes he’s supposed to make. Thi’sl has become known for his anthems, hard-hitting production and honest rhymes about life in the inner city. Fallen King stays pretty consistent on that. Time and time again Thi’sl went with what brought him here; hard beats, catchy hooks, and tough rhymes. This is definitely not a knock on the record. Thi’sl is great in this element and he has enough creativity and versatility, that it sounds new and fresh each time. Overall there’s a lot on this record long time Thi’sl fans will love.

Tracks like “Chicago-Detroit” and “King of the Trap” are the classic Thi’sl songs that I was referencing earlier, all the way down to the trademark Thi’sl intro on the latter of the songs. These tracks will have you nodding your head, turning up your radio and rolling down your windows. “Keep Grinding” featuring Brian Owens is right in Thi’sl’s lane as well. He slows it down a little on this record but it has a similar feel to slower Thi’sl songs in the past.

Lastly, Thi’sl gives us the anthem we’re looking for with “Take My Life” featuring FLAME and Json. In classic Thi’sl fashion, this track will have you jumping around and reflecting. On “Fallen King” Thi’sl did a lot of what has made him great, and that was great for this record.

Something New

Another great thing about this album is that you could hear some growth in Thi’sl’s music. It’s incredible that in this stage in his career he is still pushing himself musically and growing. The clearest and most obvious example of this is heard sonically. There were a few tracks on Fallen King that strayed from that classic Thi’sl sound. The title track “Fallen King” is an example of this. It’s a beautifully produced track. It’s a very soft and melodic track. Then when Marz lays her vocals on the hook, the song just melts over you. When Thi’sl’s verse is added, the track just comes together. Thi’sl pulls back on the aggression but not the passion with a much softer delivery. “Rooks” featuring SPZRKT is another example. The futuristic melody matched with SPZRKT’s unique vocals creates a whole different feel. This is an experiential track. You feel this. Thi’sl does a great job of blending sounds and showing every bit of his versatility.

“Rooks” is also an example of another growth area for Thi’sl on Fallen King. Conceptually Thi’sl was on point. This was probably the most conceptual (and consistently conceptual) he has been on a record. “Rooks carries this chest theme all the way through the track and challenges the listener to dive deep into the lyricism. That was just a small part of the overall concept, which was weaved beautifully throughout the record. The idea of “King” was everywhere. Whether it’s being a king, how to be a king, praising the king, false kings or people that are fallen kings, you can’t escape this concept. It was great and it really brought the project together. The concept makes Fallen King an easier listen and makes it a memorable album because the listener can tie this album to the concept.

It was impressive to see what Thi’sl was able to do conceptually. The record really benefited from his creativity and commitment to his concept, but the listener also really benefited from it.

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The production on Fallen King is awesome, thanks in part to Laquan Green who produced 6 tracks on the album and appeared on 2 songs as a guest artist.  Laquan and Thi’sl clearly have great chemistry whenever it comes to making music. Additionally, the flow and tracklisting of the album was done well; Fallen King takes you on a full ride (pun intended) througout this album with visuals painted with the words from the view of a king and a rook. Read More Here

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Prince Malachi is the founder of The Oracle Network and the Streetwear brand Y.A.H. Apparel

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