By Odeisel
Duo Malcolm & Martin’s (Styliztik Jones & KB I Mean) album, Life Doesn’t Frighten Me, is a return to the days when music with a message was edgy and was delivered over dope production. The album comes with sharp scratching courtesy of DJ Revolution and varied beats that march through your speakers like Selma, Alabama.
The album is awash in realism and avoids the self-righteousness and finger-pointing that derails modern conscious albums. Their skill levels and distinctly different deliveries allow for different stories to be told and moods to be traversed while journeying through the album. The opener, “Welcome To The Movement” is a rapid fire blast with both rappers dropping hard verses over a beat that DJ Revolution scratches to pieces. There is no message on this track except don’t be deceived, we get busy.
“Bamboozled” borrows excerpts from Denzel’s speech from Spike Lee’s X. Jones takes Hip-Hop to task for wasting the power of its presence. KB pushes it a step further taking rappers to task (and perhaps a subtle dig) for worrying about gold chains and jewels while their city is underwater. The Sunday stroll roll of a beat with organs and soul vocal sample is perfect pastry. “Lunchtyme Ciphers” takes the beat on the table aesthetic to the max as Styliztik takes the school system to task. KB calls the politicians out for underpaying the teachers while they fill their own coffers.
Marco Polo adds brass and cowbells into the pot on “Movement Music” for a mid tempo groove that drops the bassline for emphasis. As the title suggests the music is where their heart is and the main vehicle for the dissemination of their message. Unintentional comedy is pushed to the limit on the intro to “Sister Big Butt,” a reimagining of “Mr. Big Stuff.” The duo get at the “scrippas” and the disillusioned chicks out there with big butt’s and smile that are left with far less after the titties becomes teardrops and the ass becomes flab.
DJ Revolution gets his turn to speak with his hands on some terminator X shit; cutting and scratching James Brown over a jazzy break beat. It takes you back to the 80s where there was always a DJ cut on the album. “Win Lose” juxtaposes the sports allegory for success and failure in life while KB goes ham on “Hustle,” getting you hip to the things people do to get over and the will to carry those things out.
Revolution got Jones weary on “Black Koffee” with visions of slaves in his sleep and the weariness of fed following keeping him on edge. “The blacker the coffee the deeper the mind that taught me, cause some of ya’ll is lost like car keys,” exhorts KB, continuing, “You can give me all the money in the world it still won’t change me, I’ll still be pissed and angry;” effectively throwing darts at those who feel the revolution is over once they start making paper.
Soul infuses “Heritage,” a song that discourages the Black and Brown beef that simmers in California. They make connections between the two cultures and attempts to forge a permanent anti-pig alliance. An uncredited Latino emcee goes bonkers on the beat with all the moxie he can muster en espanol, subsequently switching back and forth with English. Torae, the only credited guest on the album takes over “Bear Witness II” despite the best efforts of KB I Mean and Styliztik Jones. I’ll let him tell it:
I’m the head n***a in charge, Obama of bars/ I Osama your lodge, car bomb your garage/ I leave ‘em weak in the knees, Koko, Lee Lee and Taj/ son they wouldn’t feel you if you got the massage
“Back Against The Wall” brings Mayfield like melancholy with the tale of a man struggling to stay straight in a land of no jobs, getting nowhere fast with resumes and interviews, and feeling the pull of the streets. The album closes with the upbeat “Thank God” which present an exhaustive list of influences both in music and the struggle.
“Life Doesn’t Frighten Me” is a strong album with beats and rhymes that actually stand for something. It isn’t lofty in attempt but its groundedness is its charm. It plays a bit long, with interludes and intros, but it knocks. They have struck their blow for the movement. All you have to do is listen.
Malcolm & Martin – “Ka$h Main” (Not On Album)
Out of 5
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