It appears that Da Messenger has captured the intended mindset of all Christians.  Aren’t we supposed to be different?  Shouldn’t we be a little odd?  Should we be considered weird by the world?  I guess this depends on your view but the Bible says we are most certainly “a peculiar people”.  If you’re aiming to fit in and not be considered weird then that’s your right to do so.  However, Da Messenger expresses over and over again in this project that he’s extremely proud to be considered weird by the world’s standards.  The aptly titled Alien takes us into the mind of this “weirdo” and shows us just how much Da Messenger believes all God’s children should aim to be considered weird.  Let’s take a look at each track and examine why I feel this album is Christian Hip Hop in its purest form:

1. Alien Intro: The first thing you’ll notice about this track is the futuristic space sound the track has.  You get a glimpse of what the album may sound like and that’s exactly what an intro is supposed to do.  He also uses some effects that give a futuristic feel to the track.  He makes clear he’s not from here and challenges us all to be different.  The intro states the focus and intent of this album.  Good job.

2. They Will Hate Us: Beat bangs and the message is clear and biblically based.  In this song Da Messenger reminds us that the world will hate us like they hated Jesus so don’t be surprised.  The song has a good hook and the verses don’t blow you away lyrically but he does a great job preaching his message.  I’m already developing an impression of the artist as someone who is unashamed of the Good News.

3. Fadeout feat. Damon Golden: This is a song about the deadly effects of pride.  Let’s face it, we ALL need to be reminded of the deadly effects of pride.  There have been a lot of tracks over the years about pride and I don’t think Da Messenger does anything too different here but it’s a nice reminder with a good hook.  The beat is nice and doesn’t get in the way of the track and does a good job of setting the mood for the message.

4. Go To War: As the beat comes on, you’re put in the mood for battle.  Good job by the producer.  My one beef with this beat is that the hook sounds too crowded and probably could’ve been mixed better.  Here the Da Messenger declares war on his flesh, and the enemy.  He even speaks to those who are currently warring for Jesus and tells them to press forward and stay encouraged.  His lyrics are straight to the point and he gets his message across without the bells and whistles.  Good hook but my only knock on this song is that it sounds a little Reach Recordsy.  This may not be intended given their influence on the genre.

5. Weirdo: The first thing you notice about this track is the “weird” effect on his voice as he repeatedly states “Man, I’m so weird!!”  Though this annoyed me, it did do the trick and indeed convinced me that Da Messenger is indeed weird.  All jokes aside, the effect was a good idea and keeps the song in step with his theme and his stance on the album.  This is the first song where he gives us his first impactful simile.  He says “Jesus got us extra fresh, but you don’t see that, cause the truth hurts like you’re running on your knee caps”.  Similes are great because they give a visual image and I was able to picture how painful running on my knees would be.  I would’ve loved to see more of this side of Da Messenger as this line shows me that he does have better lyrical artillery than he’s given us in the previous songs.  The hook is catchy and beat works well.  

6. Never Going Back feat.. 737 & Montae Clark: This is the first obvious party track.  I must say I like it.  I’m not sure who the singer is but he’s good and has a nice voice.  Hopefully, we’ll hear more from him.  I like the beat and it really makes you want to dance.  This song shows me that Da Messenger is versatile and can make radio friendly songs.  I think the Christian DJs should be grabbing this and letting the kids have fun to this one.

7. Made New: This song shows the joy in the conversion that takes place in a saved person.  He states he doesn’t need to party with drugs and alcohol to have a good time and that he’s free from the vices of his old self.  It’s good to hear another person express so much joy over leaving his old self behind.  He also expresses his continual need for the blood of Jesus as he still makes mistakes.

8. Worthy Of It All: This song ties right into the feel of the album with its music.  The beat has a futuristic electronic sound that has characterized this project.  The hook immediately takes you into praise and reverence of God.  In the verses, Da Messenger does his best David the Psalmist impression and just talks about how awesome God is.  As the title of the song suggests, he speaks on how God is worthy of it all not just because he blesses us but just because he’s a sovereign God; No true Christian can’t like this song.  

9. New Day: I must admit that when the chords in this beat first come on I thought this song was going to be quite corny.  Then the drums drop and I was like “ok!”  The chords and instruments have a “Nice and happy” feel but the drums are hard and “gangsta”.  This provides a contrast in sounds, but works.  This song gets straight to the point by thanking God for a new day and states that Da Messenger wants to be used to serve a purpose every day.  

10. Ready To Go feat. Chrys Jones: Are you rapture ready?  Wait, do you even believe in the rapture?  Well, whether you do or not, Da Messenger wants you to get ready for it.  The Alien states over and over again that he’s ready to go back home and there’s only one way to get there.  The feature of Chrys Jones works well here.  Not that the other features didn’t but this feature just really seemed to fit.  I think it’s the tone of his voice and his delivery and the way he stayed in pocket.   I also love the beat.  The synth in the hook really just gives the feeling of going on some galactic voyage.  The beat and the hook are awesome and this song could be a single.

11. True Reward feat. Montae Clark: Ahh, there’s Montae Clark again.  This is a happy song of pure praise.  This also shows me the song making ability of Da Messenger.  This is rare nowadays and sets an artist apart from a rapper.  Once again the combination of Clark and Da Messenger works well.  This song could be used to gain a wide audience as it has cross genre friendliness.  

12. Invade: This track is a return to the electronic sound we’ve grown used to by this point of the album.  This song is a plea for Jesus to invade this world and change the hearts of man.  It expresses our need for Him and our helplessness in saving ourselves.  This is a good message to use as an outro.

Categorical Ratings Breakdown:

Originality/Creativity (3.5/5): I believe the Alien theme has been done before and probably doesn’t shock people or make them wonder “how does an Alien theme apply to a Christian Hip Hop album?”  Most Christians will immediately get the reference but those outside of the Church might not.  I also like the “weirdo” effects he used.  They took some getting used to but I must admit, I haven’t heard them before, and I probably won’t forget them.  If I hear those vocal effects going forward, I’ll be giving credit to Da Messenger as the originator.  Somebody correct me if I’m wrong.

Lyrics (2.5/5): I must say that this is probably the weakest part of this project.  Listening to the album I was actually proud of the fact that Da Messenger seemed to be very focused on just pure ministry.  I get the impression that he probably doesn’t care what his lyrical rating is as long as he got his message across and that he did.  Da messenger could grow in this category and I believe when he does he might be a force in this genre because he appears to be able to make good songs.

Delivery (3/5): The biggest thing I look for when listening to an artist I’ve never heard before is timing.  Da Messenger has good timing and that’s something that can’t be taught.   I believe his simple lyrical style helps with this.  His delivery isn’t flashy and filled with tricks but it’s direct, on time, and serves its purpose.  He does rap with authority and good energy on the songs that call for it

Beat Selection (4/5): What can I say?  The beats are just plain good.  Not outstanding but good.  He also picked beats that complement the theme of his project really well.  In fact, the beats really give the album that out of space alien feel.  He even found “weird” beats that fit the songs that he intended to sound weird.  The quality of mix was really good and showed me that he took time to make sure this album sounded good.  The beats bang on the bottom and the instruments were put in their proper place for the most part.  Da Messenger appears to know how to put an album together musically.

Concept/Arrangement (5/5): Da Messenger did an excellent job staying within the confines of his album title.  Musically, this album was very cohesive and at no time did he leave the theme of the project.  I was actually impressed with how he was able to make the entire project feel the same from beginning to end.  His subject matter had an overall theme which suggested he was different and every song he seemed to explain why.  

Overall, this project grew on me from the first listen to now.  At first listen, there was nothing overly impressive that jumped out at me.  The more I listened, the more I was able to see the beauty in how the music was in tuned to his theme and how strong and fearless his stance is.  He also does a good job of expressing himself and doesn’t apologize for being unashamed.  Lyrically, I wanted more.  With these beats and hooks, Da Messenger really could’ve turned some heads if he could’ve found a way to convey his message more creatively.  After all, this is still rap/hip hop and though the ministry aspect of this album is off the charts, Da Messenger still has to make a better attempt to present his message with skill and thought provoking lyrics.  Take Jesus for example, He taught using parables and metaphors.  His words still had a profound impact without simplifying the delivery.  I do believe there are good songs here.   Some make you want to dance, some get you charged, some challenge you to be different by being unashamed of our peculiarity, and some make you want to praise.  The hooks are catchy and most seem well thought out.  Da Messenger also didn’t get into the features trap.  Most features add value to the song and while others didn’t have a big impact, they didn’t detract from the song.  If Da Messenger can combine his catchy hooks, beat selection, and creativity with lyrical skill we could be looking at a force and a leader in the next generation of this growing genre.