The Dare is the third studio album from H-town resident J-Flo, of Seek & Save Records. We all know that a dare is a challenge, or ultimatum if you will, put before an individual to test their will and integrity. Whether its a flat out "I dare you" or the sophomoric "truth or dare", the end result of a dare usually has some extreme consequence. Let's take a look at J-Flo's angle on the title and see how it translates musically.

 Let me go ahead and say one thing before we get into the flow of this album. The influence of Reach Records is strong, justifiably so, and is often found in trace amounts on several projects across CHH. On The Dare, this influence is more heavy than usual but with a lot less effectiveness. Is there anything wrong with breaking down the gospel and approaching subject matters in a manner similar to fellow Christians? No, not at all, but it's about execution while avoiding completely carbon copying the original artist.

With J-Flo, I get the feeling that his respect for Reach bleeds into how he attempts to structure songs from the hook to verses. Again, an admirable source to pull from, but it leaves most songs sounding unoriginal (most of the hooks sound exactly like PRo's style) and recycled ("I'm Done", "Murder It", "Arrow"). This bleeds over into his delivery and it just doesn't seem like a connection between the listener, the music and the lyrics is ever really established on most tracks. Honestly, it is a little perplexing considering what I've heard from him on spoken word pieces/ acapellas. Whether rapping or singing, every feature provided a strong effort, with Da Truth standing out on the worshipful "No One Greater".

On to production, J- Flo stayed in a certain area code with the sound, one that is popular amongst CHH albums over the past 2-3 years. A lot of synth, some techno influence, and (regretfully) auto tune infused hooks. Most all the production on the album is bearable and well intentioned, but just doesn't lay a clean smooth canvas for J-Flo. A positive in the midst of all this is that the mix is solid, allowing for the message to come through loud and clear throughout the album.

From a concept standpoint, using the term 'dare' to discuss moving from sin's slavery to being chained in righteousness, makes some sense. While someone taking a dare has a temporary sound to it, there are other times a dare can totally change the course of someone's life. J-Flo does a decent job sticking with the concept throughout the album and it will be interesting to observe how the coming volumes will turn out. 

Overall, this is an album packed with truth that lacks the artistic polish and presentation that is pushing the standard in Kingdom music. J-Flo is a man after God's heart who desires to exhort both believers and nonbelievers to carry a similar burden. When looking at ministry within the music, there's value in this project but a lot seems to be untapped due to the external (originality) and internal limitations (delivery, lyrics). I look forward to seeing how J-Flo further develops and is able to really dare himself to grow in the future.

Categorical Ratings Background:

Originality/Creativity: 2/5
Lyrics: 2/5 
Delivery: 2/5
Beat Selection/Production: 2.5/5
Concept/Arrangement: 2/5

For More Info: http://j-flomusic.com/