By Odeisel
The Paxtons have been putting in work for a few years now, steadily improving their craft, upping their production values and improving on the microphone. I have watched them grow as songwriters and musicians over that time. See, I’ve known them since they were kids, so as an evaluator you really have to overcome that in order to take them seriously because you always see them as your little brothers. And since their first project I heard, Work, it was aiiight but it wasn’t there yet. Then came the Manhattan Project…hmmm. Okay. Let me hear some more. And now we come to Avenue A and it’s time for these guys to be taken seriously as an up and coming group creating legitimate Hip-Hop music.
There are a few things on this project that are worthy of mention. There isn’t much of that carefree bitches and beer rap that’s prevalent in so many young groups these days. there isn’t too much bragging either. There are some hoes, don’t get me wrong, but it doens’t overpower the course of the music. The influence of the Chicago streets is there in spades, with mentions of the Derrion Albert tragedy along with certain mentions of Chi-centric terminology and geography. There are the gangs and mentions of how rough it is on those Midwest streets, without trying to front like they are gangsters or looking at it as some kind of rite of passage. It’s not all good that the hood is fucked up and the manage to convey that without making it an urban sob story.
Couple of guest appearances on the work, Harlem rapper Sincere of the track “5 Dollars” and Chicago’s GLC on “Curtain Call.” While the former fits in well with his track, GLC detracts from curtain call with pimp talk while the Paxtons’ subject matter is more substantial. His verse is also not mixed well and you cna hear it in the early part of his run. That said, it doesn’t ruin the project and the sing remains one of the strongest pieces on Avenue A.
Give them a listen. Avenue A is rangy in production and mood, the rhymes are solid and it’s short enough for you to digest. I think you will come away at least trying to hear more from them.
Follow Odeisel on Twitter @ http://twitter.com/odeisel
Follow Us on Twitter @ http://twitter.com/planetill
Join Us on the Planet Ill Facebook Group for more discussion
Follow us on Networked Blogs
