4/5
New Roots.
The Affair is here. Planting new seeds with Black Thought of The Roots like Cody Chesnutt 2.0 over Jamie Foxx cab chapters in 'Collateral'. All whilst Thought's house band continues to drum up late night success with Jimmy Fallon, or Oscar ones with Questlove's Academy Award-winning documentary 'Summer Of Soul'. Previous thinking had Black playing with 'Cheat Codes' and super producer Danger Mouse as early as August last year. That was one of the best rap albums of 2022. And now, already in 2023, we have one of this calendar's contenders regardless of genre. It's a 'Glorious Game' as Black Thought collaborates with the El Michels Affair like a Soulaquarian. Reminding us of a time hip-hop albums especially were actual albums. All the way down to the raw reprise of the stellar single that this LP is named after. Given beauty and grace by KIRBY like 'The Crown' of Vanessa.
Big Crown Records are readying this one to take the throne like jewels ran with the iced out tiger style big cat album artwork over a green beret. The New York based cinematic soul outfit led by Leon Michels used to tour behind Raekwon and other member of the Wu-Tang Clan before 'Sounding Out The City' in 2005. They even covered the W with their 'Enter The 37th Chamber'. Cover albums and 'Adult Themes' are part of their formidable forte. Now linking up with one of Philly's best projects they let it fly gloriously. Over a half-hour and change the going of the game is still good like a prescription from the good doctor, or one Michael Douglas played. Recorded from the pandemic, all the way to post, we're 'Grateful' for this album like it's opening single and track sampling Shabba Ranks' 'Ting-A-Ling'. SHABBA!
But second single 'That Girl' is that record and one that will make you fall in love with H.E.R. again like the one that got away. It feels like it was a teenage love that LL talked about for all those ladies Cool James loved. Dear devotions like "I pulled a flower from the garden of pure Fleur de Jardins/Her bloodline mixed, the Philippines with New Orleans/The vibe made me think of Diahann Carroll in Claudine/Whoever couldn't see it, then so be it like I mean/A queen nightingale and her wings whisper the sky a tale/The sun and moon are her biggest fans, they send her mail/Skin caramel, a magnetism none could parallel/From Venus to Vеnezuel', they call hеr Miss Michelle" are pure poetry for the prose. And to think some still disbelieve real rap is actual art.
Radio records keep coming out the crates with the single 'I'm Still Somehow' as a Joni Mitchell credit never lies like Q-Tip and Janet J. But when you delve into the album tracks of this half hour of all power then you really get to hear (or read all about it in the album credits like Jay-Z and you used to do for real records) how great an M.C. Black Thought is. Still so underrated like Tank, his rhyme book is an artillery of codes ready to go nuclear. Maybe he'll finally blow at the Grammys on his own like love's quest for The Academy last summer or so ago. There's no 'Hollow Ways' to this as he raps "stay with the angels, walk like Egyptian/The Bengals and scripts gettin' flipped, the whole hood on angles/A significant amount of trauma'll change you/The "keep gettin' in and out of drama'll" drain you/For what it's came to, I ain't gon' say that I blame you/When you angry, ain't no management to complain to" over brilliant band backing of potent production. These are wise words from the salt and pepper sage scholar whose played this game more than those who want to win.
Philadelphia soul is found rugged and raw on the 'Protocol' with Son Little, but it's 'The Weather' that really gets down before the creed of 'I Would Never' steps up and rings your bell just like before the title taking 'Summer Of Soul'. But here's the belt, 'Alone' will really make you realize how lost it has all become for better or worse. Counting on a 'Miracle' though, Thought hits back. Black raps "no gas, I'm high in octane/Which icon am I if not flames?/Goddammit, guess who not lame/And locked the block down before the blockchain/Stop playin', the stakes is too high/Some say life's a trip, then you die/Patience brings all things in due time/If you's a real one, well, that's a true sign," like he was in a cipher. If this was a rap battle he just flew you up 8 Mile road like a Falcon. Sorry Cap! Skin in the game doesn't come tougher than leather quite like this. Running it back with another act like DMC in the hat, walking this way in rhymes as crisp as your new Adidas. Shell to toe. Brainstorming on the 'Alter-Ego' closer with Brainstory, this is strictly for the hip-hop heads. It's the glory like Denzel and Morgan on this road. The game has changed, but the champion remains the same. Remember their names. Yo Black, it's time. TIM DAVID HARVEY.
Playlist Picks: 'Grateful', 'Glorious Game (Feat. KIRBY)', 'That Girl'.
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