Ladies and gentlemen, hip hop lives and it lives today in 2008. The London-based label BBE is proud to present the new album from Tha 4orce, Mind The Gap Anthems Version 2. BBE is responsible for bringing us music from the likes of J. Dilla, Pete Rock, and DJ Jazzy Jeff; so you know to only expect excellence.
Some may remember Tha 4orce from his 20 year career, producing and remixing for artists such as Amy Winehouse, LL Cool J, Common, Busta Rhymes, Ms Dynamite, Oleta Adams and Foxy Brown. Most may remember Tha 4orce as the fast talking DJ in The Ali G Show. How ever it is you know him or not, be prepared to be reintroduced to Tha 4orce.
Mind The Gap Anthem Version 2 plays like a live, jazzy hip hop show, playing tribute to hip hop’s past while paving way for its future. Tha 4orce, emcee and producer for the show, collaborates with other UK musicians to give us a serving of hip hop in its rawest form. The album begins with a bang in “Tha 4orce’s Anthem”. I guarantee you’ll be nodding your head from the jump. The next track, “The Musician” is just an incredible journey through hip hop and jazz. With Tim Baxter on the keys, Tha 4orce scratches in samples of old hip hop records that just begs for a trip down memory lane.
The track “I Want You” is the perfect example of a hip hop love song as Tha 4orce uses elements from Common and Marvin Gaye. The album stays strong and holds a steady pace until we get to “Neva Shouda”. Oddly, this track doesn’t seem to fit the flow of the rest of the album. Even more oddly, it was the only track that BBE is giving away as a free preview (you can download it below). The track is not bad. It’s a soulful, jazzy number sung by Marrisa Anglin. To me it just doesn’t fit on the album and for BBE to offer this track as a preview, I feel, is misleading.
To finish up the album, the track “Drums vs. Drums” is a definite highlight. Drummer Don Bannister and Tha 4orce go head to head; each getting 4 bars at a time. To hear Don compete with some of the old school drum breaks Tha 4orce scratches in is incredible. He actually keeps up and does not miss a beat.
Mind The Gap Anthem Version 2 is an excellent album and one true hip hop heads should check out. Look for it in stores February 25th!
Notable tracks: “The Musician”, “I Want You”, “Drums vs. Drums”
(No Ratings Yet)
Loading ...
