Cymarshall Law & Mr. Joeker: Hip Hop In The Soul

The overseas duo of Cymarshall Law, out of Jersey, and Mr. Joeker, out of Hungary, have more chemistry than most duos within the same city have. The beats of Mr. Joeker lace the 14 track LP and the fiery and youthful stylings of Cymarshall compliments the high tempo, emotional, and far from generic production. The blend is so good that in the midst of a jam packed fourth quarter, Hip Hop in the Soul is what remains in heavy rotation. It is rather a familiar listen, but the skills of Cy and Joeker make it more than enjoyable and give the listeners a treat to warm up with; a very likable record.

It is a big deal when you have KRS-One on the same album, in fact, it is one of the most ultimate cosigns an MC could receive. “Control” features the Blastmaster, and Cy doesn’t shy away even after Kris drops a rather passionate few bars. The production is tasteful, as it blends Oriental strings with hard hitting drum pattern and a flurry of sounds that only a great producer could emphasize. It is a team effort that we see once again on “Truth,” which features Supastition and Skit Slam. Not only do Cy and Joeker have chemistry amongst themselves, but, also with all of their comrades on the album. The joint is a mouthwatering dish of mid 90′s hip hop hunger at its finest and the same could be said for the rest of the album.

Joeker is heavy on the strings, but he certainly knows how to use them. “The Takeoff” matches Cy‘s up-tempo and fierce flow through brilliantly placed vocal samples and symphony-esque strings. Lyrically, the Jersey MC is very skilled, but a slight flaw is found on “Out of the Rain.” As he attempts to get the story across, Cy gets entranced in the depth of it and goes a little off flow by forcing words into bars that can’t handle it. Once again, it’s a slight flaw, but it is small things like this that could make Cy a force to be reckoned with if these loose ends get tied up.

The moral of “Sticks and Stones” is understandable, but the chorus isn’t. In fact, it takes away from the rather haunting notion of the track, perhaps a sample of children singing the adage could add a flavour that would greatly enhance the darkness of the track. A similar feel is given on “I’m a MC,” where he goes on a simile and metaphor rampage. In hindsight, this approach does work, but it seems below the potential that Cy is capable of, especially when he delves deep into his heart on “Live While You Can.”

Both artists are very hard to hate on. Joeker has a respectable style that, although it isn’t necessarily unique, is done very well. He doesn’t run the risk of outshining the MC unless it is a really bad rapper and Cy isn’t that guy. Cy is loaded with talent, but the most exciting quality about him is his hunger. It shines throughout this entire project and his honesty and devotion for hip-hip is in his soul. This album hits the soul hard because it truly hits a familiar hip hop sound that has been lacking in the last little while; it’s soul food.

81/100

Standout Tracks:

“The Takeoff”

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“Control”

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“Live While You Can”

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