I’m going to be 100 percent real with you. This album is not for every Christian. This is next level Hip Hop that will challenge your mind. It’s like reading a book. If you like swagged out trap music you will be disappointed. I’m just being honest. Talented 10th is Sho Baraka’s first full album since he left Reach Records and became an independent artist and I really feel it’s his best work yet!

Let me give you some background. The phrase "talented tenth" was first used in 1896 by Northern white liberals like the American Baptist Home Mission Society. They wanted to build black colleges to train Negro teachers. Later, W. E. B. Du Bois used the term to title an essay he wrote and published in September 1903.

Talented 10th is more sonically diverse than his last album, "Lions and Liars". The production is complexed but it's still simple and focused if that makes since. Lyrically, Sho is very blunt and raw. He doesn't tell you what you want to hear. He tells you what you need to hear. The album cover is designed to look like a book and his tracks aren’t tracks but chapters.

“I didn't want this to just be seen as another Hip Hop album. I wanted it to be seen as something that was both artistic from the expression that is creative and not trying to be like every other album. Even from how I title each song, how it’s listed and the [design of the] album cover. I wanted this to be an experience of education as well as entertaining... I want to educate as well as entertain in a creative way.”*

The album has two sides, part Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., part Malcolm X. So listening to this joint will give you peace but also give you a sense of urgency. That sense of urgency starts from the first song “Bethesda ft. L.I.B.E.R.T.Y & J.K” In the bible, Bethesda is a pool in Jerusalem that was believed have had healing powers. Sho uses this song to talk about the power of healing in different situations like the death of good artistry, the flesh, and street violence. The song uses a sample from the negro spiritual "Wade in the Water" which refers to healing: see John 5:4, "For an angel went down at a certain season into the pool, and troubled the water: whosoever then first after the troubling of the water stepped in was made whole of whatsoever disease he had."

“The concept of the song is the whole wade in the water. There’s a lot of strain out there, there's a lot of struggle, there’s a lot of hurt. The thought process is hold on because there’s a healing coming. Ultimately we believe that Christ brings the healing. But I’m not just trying to say trust in Christ like in a sense that Jesus makes all things perfect. I’m saying though Christ there’s healing. And there’s many different areas of how Christ heals. Things won't be perfect but there is joy, there is fruit, there's love and there's peace in our Lord but you have to wade in that water sometimes”.*

This track is deep. Definitely one of my favorite joints on the album.

Another one of my favorite songs is “Michael.” The beat has an epic feel to it and the bars are razor sharp.

“On and on I know life goes, I’m on the death of a Michael, not Jackson but am missing in action…watch it burn baby burn, my coach is going down…”

“My hood needs more fathers and less bachelors, introduce him to the father no more bastards…”

“They may heard of our God but why bother they heard hell Marys but never knew our fathers, have they heard of the love of Christ , is heaven so far it’s outta sight?…”

“She promised a hell of a night, all I can think to myself is how Lucifer right, brothas in the club throwin you some bucks how about the same brothas throwin you some trust…baby girl you mistaken your own value, your only worth the idol you bow down to”

The song deals with people who are lost, looking for love and acceptance in all the wrong places, and how that can destroy us.

“Jim Crow” is a song that takes this album to a different level in more than one way. It’s heavy and deep. It’s not for everyone but it's raw truth. I’m telling you now, LISTEN WITH CAUTION, but with an open heart and an open mind. Jim Crow was the name of the racial system of laws in the south, between 1877 and the mid-1960s. But it was more than laws, It was a way of life. Under Jim Crow, African Americans were second class citizens. Many Christian ministers and theologians taught that whites were the chosen people, blacks were cursed to be servants, and God supported racial segregation. Sho get’s into issues church folk are scared to talk about.

“There’s a reproduction of ignorance and prejudice that is propagated in our country and if you accept it you will be stuck in this place that I call Ni**a island, or colored island. And the goal is to escape that or not find refuge, because that place is full of ignorance and there’s no real hope there.”*

 

 The Talented Tenth is a Masterpiece. The production is on point. Blue, Swoope, ALi, theBeatBreaker, Blue, and JR come together to give us more than a bunch of beats. The production is creative and it even pays homage to classic Hip Hop. The lyrics are well crafted and delivered with precise aim at our minds. This is Hip Hop that you don’t see many people delivering nowadays (other than Humble Beast and very few others). And I know in time it will be considered a classic.

Jackie Hill Perry - Crescendo

 

 Crescendo is centered on Perry's sense of brokenness entrusted to God's care amidst a rich tapestry of sounds, beats and words, the constant thread running through the growth-aligning the album.  

The Gospel Coalition shared an in depth conversation with Perry surrounding Crescendo, where they marked the LP as a "a rich collection of hip hop songs exploring exploring a wide range of topics (race, gender, social media, church) through the lens of glorifying God and growing in faith."

Critics are praising Perry's long-awaited return with The Christian Beat calling each track on Crescendo "saturated with honesty and sincerity...whether it's filled with bold fire or transparent reflection." New Release Today raved "I cannot remember the last time that a rapper spit such a strong verse" and CCM Magazine, who gave the album five out of five stars in their review, described Perry as "intent on elevating expectations to another level entirely with her stunning sophomore album, Crescendo... likely to stand as the best hip-hop release of the year."

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This album does not follow any rules when it comes to making music. You will be in the middle of a great hip hop track that suddenly turns into a beautiful piano piece, or you will be bumping some serious beats and then singing along to old hymns and it comes out lovely. Each part, no matter how out of the box it seems, flows perfectly and makes this a completely enjoyable listen from beginning to end. Jackie is honest, open, vulnerable, and encouraging as the listener takes this journey with her. The only potential drawback is that there aren't many light tracks, so it can tend to be a heavy/deeper listen. Those looking for upbeat, dance style tracks need to look elsewhere. However, that's the purpose of the album: to dig deep into this journey of life. If you enjoyed The Art Of Joy, then I am sure you will be digging Crescendo as it has the potential to be among the best of the year.

Whether she is rapping, writing, and doing some spoken word, Jackie Hill Perry is proving that she has the gifts and talents to be producing something worthy of all rap fans for a long time to come. Again, in case you missed it, the mighty mighty Humble Beast gives their tunes away for free, so drop them a donation if you can when you check out this one.

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Derek Minor  -  The Trap 

The Trap is not a record the listener can ignore or just play in the background. Each track is heavily weighed with socially conscious topics relevant to racism, politics, stereotypes, culture, faith and real life issues. Essentially, the album tackles head-on the daily struggle of what it’s like to be an African American in modern society. There hasn’t been a similar hearty release since summer of 2017 with Propaganda’s Crooked. 

Lyrics echo the words of, “The world don't care about us, but they want more for their cameras,” on the opening track to the project highlighting a flawed culture we tread within. “It Is What It Is” was the first single released back in February previewing Minor’s mindset about to be unraveled throughout the 15-track masterpiece interjecting faith, empowerment, and love as the answer to the sins of the world.

“Black Market” interjects that 90’s hip-hop elements vibe with deejay scratches, a return to the boom bap and a mid-track masterful switch up that fans will applaud. “Decisions” follows that era with classic storytelling which would make Slick Rick proud.

“Of Course” and “See You Win” gain my vote for summer anthems to just nod, bounce, and dance uncontrollably to in the car or gym. “Goodbye Lullaby” contends as one of my favorites of the project, as Minor reminds listeners he can harmonize and destroy tracks bar for bar with a fine-tuned flow unlike any other.

Derek Minor is masterful in his delivery. The substance of each track was researched and executed with near perfection. Social injustice and all of its accomplices (racism, inequality, hate) are not easily discussed topics to present to a culture consumed by the next Billboard hit or club jam. Minor crafted songs to reach people at their core, the heart. As Jesus defined, souls are won within the heart through love. He lyrically meets people regardless of their situation and points back to the cross. His extensive talents are wonderfully displayed throughout the project within his unique storytelling delivery through harmony and rhyme. Highlights like “Decisions,” “Goodbye Lullaby,” “Of Course,” and “I Have a Dream” walk the listen through unique audio experiences neatly packaged and what some will deem album of the year. Read More Here

SWOOPE - SONSHINE

This project is the latest from the former Collision Records frontman since splitting with the label.  Swoope released a handful of singles last year, most of which are included on this project, including “All the Time,” “Never Left,” and the latest, “Hall of Fame.”

Disappointingly, one of his best tracks from 2017, “Lambo” is missing from Sonshine and it’s baffling seeing that the subject matter fits well with the overall narrative of the album; however, the project holds up well despite its absence.

For those looking for something as the kids would say, litty, there is plenty throughout the project like “Hall of Fame,” “Flex,” or “All the Time.” One of the many stand- out lines for me is this:

Gotta find a way to monetize black twitter, so they gotta pay if they tryna laugh with us. –“Old Me”

It’s clear that on that song as well as “Tsnk” and “Black Boy,” Swoope isn’t shying away from sparking real and much-needed conversations in the wake of so much racial injustice in America. What’s also clear is that he isn’t afraid of making music that overtly points people to Jesus even though it’s become a trend to conceal and disguise the gospel message for the sake of making dynamic or relevant music.

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