When Kevin asked me to review, the new Small Professor release, Slowbus, I had no idea what to expect. Usually instrumental albums are real hit or miss in my opinion. However, Small Pro is an amazing producer. His beats come from all angles, his sampling skills are top notch, his instrumentation is refreshing and his horns are infectious.
My first impression was that Small is similar to the likes of J Dilla, Large Professor and producers of that style. His production is real smooth and sounds great with no lyrics over them. A lot of times producers need an emcee to really have the beat come to life but Small has a unique talent that allows him to craft beats with the right instruments and samples that keep your head nodding all the way through. “Phantom Menace” is a slower paced track with a real jazzy vibe and the specific voice samples used are priceless. If you told me that “Stevie Said So” was an unreleased Curtis Mayfield track from back in the day, I wouldn’t be surprised. My first thought was, this sounds like it could have been on Super Fly, which is one of my favorite albums of all time.
“Kelis” is a dope beat, simply put. His sample of “Me and Mrs. Jones” is perfectly integrated into this musical landscape. Another fascinating thing about Small Professor is the fact that everything sounds so balanced. Everything is mixed well and the samples aren’t too loud or quiet and his instruments are flawless. “December 6th” is another stand out track with a real smooth vibe and the sample again is perfectly done and the hi-hat break is a pleasant surprise. “The Sky is Falling” is another example of Small‘s horns and hi-hat combination that works so perfectly. “The Theme from Mohawk!” may be my favorite track off of this whole project. With a real jazzy vibe, a smooth feel and a chorus section that will blow your mind, you can’t go wrong with this joint.
Any rapper who listens to these beats and isn’t inspired should rethink their occupation immediately. Small Professor embodies so many elements of all of our favorite producers, yet is able to carve out his own niche. Since I am a huge Jazz fan, this collection of beats will be in my CD deck for many weeks to come.
Overall score: 3.5/5
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