It's easy for musicians to sound deep, introspective and meaningful nowadays. Add enough adjectives and self-reflective mumblings when asked a straight forward interview question and you too can throw the hash tag visionary in your twitter profile. In the current musical climate of hip hop, the dream and vision of an artist's upcoming release passionately detailed in media appearances is often deeper and more profound than anything found on the five-cent tracks. In a genre where concept albums are more second and third cousins than a connected family, Armond's "Kairos" is the grease-free face wash to erase memories of these blemishes, with the added benefit of fresh sounds that equal the cleansing splash of water to the face.  Add a comment

Originally from VA now serving in ministry in Ohio, Trabelus Whitfield aka Maddlines presents us with his album Ridiculous. Over a soundscape of beats styled to appeal to a broad range of ears Maddlines lays out his heart for Christ in this album in a big way, as in 17 full length songs! The album starts with the track “I am”. A “Church in the Wild”-esque production over which Maddlines with some irony downplays secular hip hop trends and lyrics and why holy spirit inspired lyrics are better. The second track Heaven, is one of my favorites on this project. The production is well orchestrated and the singer David Chance compliments Maddlines rhymes very well, and his message about Heaven seems on point. Gotta Do Better the next track serves as a counterpoint to his criticisms of the secular realm where he points out the shortcomings of the Church on many levels. I like this track a lot, it’s message, beat, and his flow are all excellent in my opinion. Being a boom bap head, I can’t lie songs on this project like Get yo Hands Up, Pop Tarts, Bars Nonstop, with their rapid fire hi hats, snares and 808s  lose my interest about half way through. But I kind of dig Noise for the King a similarly styled track. I could go on, there are a few more gems on this LP, and overall, the production is solid. Considering how difficult it is to put together an album I am impressed that a minister and father of four, is able to put forth such an ambitious work.

The Biblical truth of what kingship is has been lost on the majority of culture, including the urban/ hip hop demographic, as the farce of false thrones continues to flourish. Yet, in the spring of the year, when kings go to battle, there were four who prepared to collide with the counterfeit crownholders of culture head on. Christon Gray, Dre Murray, Alex Faith, and Swoope come together on WLAK (We Live As Kings) to present the true Biblical definition of what/ who a King is. Proving to be capable artists separately, the aforementioned quartet has set a new bar in music with their recent projects. We’ll find out if the WLAK matches the talk around this much anticipated piece of art.

Humans have an indwelling propensity to lean towards “grey area” thinking in order to attempt to remove the responsibility that comes with God’s established absolutes. We prefer fluid, adjustable understanding of what is fact or fiction, depending upon what suits us and our desires at the moment. Where absolute truth draws a clear line between what’s righteous and sinful, we try to marginalize and excuse our way to an alternate reality that fits "our" truth. Big Cleve, of Pardon The Movement, examines this fact from a street perspective on his new album Generation Of Grey. We’ll listen and find out just how black and white Cleve can make things for his audience.

Before the concept of Lecrae's "Church Clothes" was birthed, I was declaring to my five followers on Twitter that Da T.R.U.T.H.'s comeback album "The Whole Truth" was going to be the most important Christian hip-hop album ever put on wax. That importance gained more weight from what it meant as a testimony more than what was going to come through the speakers, but after the convention-challenging "The Whole Truth," hopes were high.  The public fall from grace coupled with that same grace providing the footholds to climb out of the pit, I thought, was going to produce a musical autobiography that reached ecclesiastical heights. While that album ultimately didn't come close to masterpiece status that I may have imagined, it was no flop...it had its moments; the most notable of which were the ones that were tied to Truth's fall and restoration like 'Lights', 'Cherished,' 'Alive' and 'The Whole Truth' (Despite it's questionable resemblance to Skylar Grey's "I'm Coming Home" hook). Enter "Love, Hope, War" 1.5 years later.

One thing is for certain, on this project Jason ‘Conquest’ Roberts bares his soul on this, his latest full length LP.  I have followed Conquest for the past several years and I have to say, this is his best lp so far in my humble opinion.  It covers a gamut of different rap stylings and topically an array of not so politically correct topics but things which I think need to be said.

When I heard that Sho Baraka was working on a new project, there was an excitement in me because I knew that whatever the project would be there definitely would be lyrical depth and  thought provoking topics. I expected a non-traditional theme from Sho especially when I feasted my ears on the High Society collaborative. I heard some things in this offering that I hadn’t necessarily heard in Christian Hip Hop, in fact it didn’t sound like what I had come to know of CHH. There was a lot more social thought in the artists approach and it seemed as though they were leaning more in the direction of conscious rap rather than CHH. I begin to question whether or not they were deviating from the norm of CHH, but something in me liked what they were trying to do. Whenever minds are challenged to expand especially within the body of Christ we are forced to reach outside of the bounds of religion and self-righteous thinking to be clear minded enough to even entertain anything that would seem different from the norm.  So after hearing that Sho would title his latest album the Talented Tenth there were tons of red flags that rose in my mind.

If you've heard of Black Knight, it may be because of the unfortunate 'Bibles in the Air' controversy (Unfortunate because of how it was dragged out with such little resolution more than the issue itself). If you haven't heard of him by name, there's a good chance you've heard some of his creations. His production has been featured on everything from J'son's "Growing Pains Intro," to R.M.G's "Welcome to the Family," to 2012's surprise hit, K.B.'s "Zone Out." The man behind the audio attempts to escape behind the board in the most dramatic way with his debut album The Break In.

From South Florida comes a six man group by the name Authentik with their debut album named “Groans Before Glory”. The concept is meant to illustrate the struggles of believers between now and eternity with God free from sin.

Jin has been making a mark on Christian hip hop the last year and a half. He has put out a lot of quality music. To continue that trend he has put out the Brand New Me EP.  We are going to first look at lyrical quality, album flow, and finally -  lasting impressions.

I remember growing up listening to a narrow selection of music, genres which would be considered part of the “true Black experience”. From Jazz, R&B to Gospel and Rap, the misconception that I was "listening to what I was supposed to" permeated my environment at school, church, and (to a lesser extent) at home. As I grew and matured, I came to an understanding that there are no racial boundaries for music and what can be enjoyed. In the realm of Christian music there have been groups like 4th Avenue Jones, Group 1 Crew, Rhema Soul, and others who have successfully transcended music's imaginary cultural boundaries. Connecticut- based N.U. Life is a newer (to me at least) group that is in that combines Pop, Worship/ CCM, Dance, Rock, and Rap on their album, 1 Way. Let's see if they can reach the multi-genre bar that's been set by the aforementioned musical outfits.

How refreshing it is to hear a NYC born and bred emcee with skills to pay the bills.  The birthplace of the art form seems to produce a  lot of copycats these days. When I was asked to review this mixtape I have to admit I had no idea who this dude was. Shame on me. K. Sparks is a talented emcee from the southside of Queens, an area that produced such greats as A Tribe Called Quest, Organized Konfusion, and many other notables. K. Sparks is relatively new to the CHH side of things but based on his bio, his resume is quite lengthy.

Ladies and Gents, Uriah Poore is back.  Now if you missed my first go round with Uriah, check out my review of his The Stars and Their Places project.  I have since been following this budding artist. However, Uriah isn’t new, neither to the scene nor to music.  Uriah returns with his latest project entitled Sound Of Light.  

New Orleans, Louisiana. Home of creole food, cajun cuisine, the New Orleans Saints, and a whole lot of culture. New Orleans is also the home of good music, rising stars, and in the midst of the city there is a raspy yet clear voice crying out in the wilderness- native son Corey Hicks. Hicks is a pastor as well as a rapper in the inner city of New Orleans and his latest work "The Whole 9" explores life as a young urban male in the mean city that has pulled so many down.