Friends Enemies Apples Apples. The title alone evokes the process of thought that automatically accompanies a Mr. J Medeiros song/ project. What exactly could this refer to since it seems as though calling a friend an apple would mean calling an enemy an orange, right? That’s a question that I actually will do my best not to answer, not only due to what I’ve heard from Mr. J himself on the interview circuit, but also because that’s part of the beauty of immersing yourself into this project.

DaSouth.com Stars:

Friends Enemies Apples Apples. The title alone evokes the process of thought that automatically accompanies a Mr. J Medeiros song/ project. What exactly could this refer to since it seems as though calling a friend an apple would mean calling an enemy an orange, right? That’s a question that I actually will do my best not to answer, not only due to what I’ve heard from Mr. J himself on the interview circuit, but also because that’s part of the beauty of immersing yourself into this project.

Mr. Medeiros is excellent at bringing some conscious elements to a rap game that largely has no conscience. He speaks against “the establishment” on “Brutus” and “Smile” while also encouraging the broken with “Holding On.” This is an album full of humbling songs that call the listener to an awareness of things beyond praise parties and discipling (neither being negative). Utilizing clever punchlines, (one line in particular about circumcision is memorable without being vulgar) along with copious amounts of vivid storytelling, Mr. J paints with the brush of a pure artist. The recurring theme of wisdom and love jumps out at me from track to track, as Mr. J displays attributes of Christ in his flow without necessarily being as biblically specific as some may favor.

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Moving through the playlist, the Midwest- bred (from my home state Colorado) emcee manages to remain coherent from the title- explaining “Apples Apples,” to the transparently effective “W.A.N.T.S.” One standout track would have to be “Left Me,” a somber story that chronicles the pain of death and the void it can leave behind. As was covered in a recent interview about a different song, Mr. J purposely leaves a ‘cliffhanger’ feel to this song to possibly stir up a sense of frailty in the listener that doesn’t know God. “The Balance” is somewhat different in that it gives more specific reference to the hope that is in Christ. With no pun intended, this type of balance is what increases the depth and value of each verse, let alone song. Mr. Medeiros switches gears a bit on “Target Market,” an unabashedly true, go- for- the- neck type of song that speaks on the corruption from the top to the bottom of the industrial rap propaganda machine.

The musical composition of this album is eclectic in spite of being a one producer and one emcee setup. Stro the 89th Key, of Mr. J’s old crew The Procussions, created masterful musical backdrops from one to twelve on Mr. J’s sophomore solo project. From the electro bass feel on “Apples Apples” to the raw hip hop feel of “Children,” jazziness of “W.A.N.T.S.,” and the King of Pop- feel of “K38,” Stro shows a feel for music that injects just about as much feeling into the listener’s ears as Jason’s lyrics (no pun intended). With no real need of assistance to carry the weight of this album, the lone vocal collaborator was Tara Ellis, who provided an extra element of beauty with her melodic hooks. The layers of sounds, both organic and synthetic, prove to be an intricate and important element to this impressive album.

This album was a welcome conundrum in the fact that the music was so good from jump that I found myself able to switch back and forth between just enjoying the texture of the canvas as much as the warmth of the paint. It truly is a “living album” in that it can be played over and over, each time finding new tidbits to chew on. In the same vein as the Braille/ S1 Cloud Nineteen album, FEAA is truly “thinking folk music”. Top that off with a superb mix/ master and you’ll see why I have to designate this as a 4.5 star, definitive album for hip hop to learn from.

For More Info

www.mrjmedeiros.com/
http://www.myspace.com/mrjmedeiros
http://www.youtube.com/user/mrjmedeiros
www.sonicbids.com/mrjmedeiros