Rakaa - Crown of Thorns
Written by Chi Chi Thalken on August 4, 2010Rakaa might be the most overlooked member of Dilated Peoples. DJ Babu gets attention as part of the Beat Junkies crew, and fellow emcee Evidence has a couple of solo releases. With Crown of Thorns, Rakaa looks to step out and create an identity for himself.
On the first few tracks, which are decent, it’s a bit more of the same in terms of his work with DP, but nothing really stands out. I had to listen to the album several times before it started to sink in and I appreciated them more. Which is fine, but not the most desirable thing with a solo debut.
The good news for everyone involved is that the album takes a sharp turn with “C.T.D.” Babu brilliantly takes a short portion of Martha and the Vandella’s “(Love is Like a) Heat Wave,” then drops the bottom out of it, cuts the tempo in half, and drops a heavy bass and kick drum. Rakaa spits some great rhymes about the state of hip hop and L.A., and finally introduces himself as a solo emcee. I’ve been listening to this song for about a week straight and I still can’t get enough of it. Definitely one of my favorite summer jams this year.
Rakka then comes back with “Assault and Battery,” a harsh track from Oh No that recalls El-P, with Rakaa dropping some battle rhymes. It’s all right, but doesn’t stand out. On “Mezcal,” Illmind employs a nice mid-tempo Latin beat that allows Rakaa to make a fun Cali-Mex jam. One of the real treats of the album comes in the form of “Rosetta Stone Groove (Universal Language),” which lays down a simple but interesting soul-jazz groove with bass and congas as Rakaa and Noelle Scaggs lead us through a song celebrating the positive power of music. DP-styled “Aces High,” includes spots from Evidence, Fashawn, and Defari. El-P produces the dark funk on “Mean Streak” while Rakaa and Chali 2na rhyme about tagging, which I feel like too few people do any more. Perhaps the most moving song on the album is the last, “Upstairs.” It features a sweet guitar line and simple snap, as Rakaa recounts the near loss of a loved one. It’s beautiful and moving without feeling manipulative. A great way to close out the album.
While I don’t feel that every track pushes Rakaa into new territory as a solo artist, we get enough good DP-styled tracks along with some interesting standouts that make for a solid debut. It rewards upon repeated listens, and “C.T.D” is ruling my summer. Not bad at all, Rakaa.
Title: | Rakaa - Crown of Thorns |
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Label: | Decon |
Year: | 2010 |
Rating: | 7/10 |