reviewsdtoe
Reviews - D to E
Please note that the reviews are ordered by Artist first name..
All reviews are opinion, a guide only. Some are short and to the point, others go into more depth. No real reason why other than when the reviews were written! For other fantastic reviews, check out trailblazinministries.com, sphereofhiphop.com, gospelflava.com, hiphopforthesoul.com and jydist.com. Cross Rhythms has some good reviews too, although limited in content.
Please note if you see any of these reviews elsewhere, it is because I have done the reviews for others. These reviews are mostly for Cross Rhythms, although they edit the reviews. The reviews on these pages are my full reviews.
Da Truth & Friends – Live (DVD) | TOP
Outstanding camera work, editing, visuals and music production come together to produce a stunning DVD to showcase God and his servant Da Truth. The DVD is advertised as bringing ‘Live Music. High Energy. Intense Worship’ and it does this with aplomb, I was out of my seat jumping around my room within the second track. This hip-hop worship experience features tracks from ‘Moment of Truth’ (with some of the freshest new interpretations and musicianship) - and his latest album, ‘The Faith’. We come into God’s presence through hip-hop, as Da Truth reps Christ to a live jump-up audience, and the freshest and yes electrifying, 5 piece live band and powerful vocalists. As with all goods out of the CM stable, we are directed to Jesus and his Word relevantly and with quality. The DVD also features bonus songs, “Who Am I” music video and an intimate and insightful chat with Da Truth and friends such as Kirk Franklin and the other Cross Movement artists, discussing his ministry and calling. This DVD runs for 137mins and I cannot recommend it strongly enough. Get it! Run Time - 137mins.
Da Truth - Moment Of Truth | TOP
OK some people have accused Da Truth of bitin' the style of Jay-Z on this album. In truth, this isn't what the artist set out to do by his own admission. As a first release this is one serious quality offering. Production is outstanding, very much on the Cross Movement tip as you'd expect, with the other Cross Movement heads dropping lyrics. The album starts and finishes with accapella cyphers which is quite an interesting concept. I also like the fact that the lyrics are included in the album artwork. I like the beats and flow on 'South Street' too - very booty shaking! Content-wise we have rhymes about Christ aplenty such as The Jesus Anthem pointing to God as the true way, the true answer. 'My Story' gives Da Truth's testimony, showing you don't have to have been saved out of a mess to have a testimony. One of the dopest tracks on the CD is track 15, 'Fourplay' which confronts sexual sin and holiness. This is confrontational but honest, offering a fair description of the problem for many men in the body of Christ, but also delivering solutions too - 'put on the whole armor just to guard your mind up - hold every thought captive to Christ lest you wind up - with unnecessary pain..'. There is a tuneful hook with an r&b flava on 'NFL' which is sweet. And in 'My Story' Da Truth points to his own testimony, informing us that you don't have to have been a gangsta to witness to Christ's work in your life. I really like this album. The weakest points are that the 'Jay-Z' vocal style can occasionally get a bit much and some of the "P's" from the mic recording have a lot of 'pop' - unusual in a quality recording. But highly recommended, some impeccable and fast cyphers and very commercially accessible. Run Time - 68.04.
DJ Maj - Mixtape | TOP
A varied mash up of some very different styles and talented artists, mixed by DJ Maj. Includes 4th Avenue Jones, KJ-52, Pettidee, John Reuben, Vex Da Vortex, Pigeon John, Grits, LA Symphony and Out Of Eden. Run Time - 63.34.
DJ Maj - Full Plates (Mixtape 02) | TOP
Another varied mash up from DJ Maj. This joint features so many artists it should speak for itself - Pigeon John from Pigeon John; DJ Form dopeness; Flynn and Joey the Jerk delivering deep and well crafted flows; r&b from Out Of Eden; deft and head nodding beats and delivery from Mars Ill; The Procussions with orchestral pianist-tastic jazz; an Eminem sounding delivery from KJ52 calling out fake gangstas; Corey Red and some commercial gangsta spitting about Jehovah over a female vocal hook; jazzy licks from Ill Harmonics; Grits with their dope sound; LPG and New Breed with underground toughness; Fugitives up from the dirty south and Cross Cypha with a east coast flavour. Plus more. Better than the first mixtape no doubt. Mos def worth checking out and a good intro to the varied forms of hip hop music in the HHH scene. Run Time - 67.00.
Enock - Awethentic | TOP
This is mos def raw. Not because it's full of cussing but because it confronts some real issues head on and no prisoners are taken. Enock was part of Cross Movement but departed to write his own stuff that was less about traditional ministry subjects, and more about tough issues Christians face - in doing so moving to the Much Luvv label - with more of a dirty south feel in many tracks (like 'We' and 'Next Up' which features lots of guest MCs). He addresses sex, lust, women wearing very little in Summertime in 'Runnin' which claims there's '..more sex in the church than Sex in the City'. In the intro, 'Nocktroduction' and in 'Change' Enock directly confronts Christians to take off their mask, 'especially when not in church.' In ' Liberation' he reminds us that he is glad to be doing his own thing and that he is living proof of God's grace. He talks about doing a 'new thing' in 'building up' holy hip hop. Enock's delivery is tight and in yer face, as is the production, there are some nice hooks too (from 'Change' to ' Real'). 'Real' lays it down to HH artists challenging them they can have it all but '..if you're life ain't real then you're doing it wrong'. This is real and brutally honest. As someone said to me, 'this is a rap album every Christian needs.' He also takes a swipe at the holy hip hop industry who he obviously feels strongly about (in the mocked up 'Conference skit'). There's a lot of lyrics clearing the air in this album and expressing frustrations. I expect the next album to up the ante and really rip for Christ. I'm def looking forward to it. Run Time - 40.22.
