Artist: Album: Color Commentary
Producer: Durkin
Guests: Outasight, Jon Hope, Jelani
Best Tracks: Dead Poet Society, Go!, Sunday Drive
Recommendation: Must Have
Thoughts: Color Commentary sneaks upon the listener. I didn’t know much about the emcee or the producer but upon track three, I began to realize that a dope record was being achieved.
Consistency is the cornerstone to a great hip hop album and I have to say that each song on, Color Commentary more than holds it’s own weight individually. Collectively, however, this album is something remarkable. Durkin’s production talents on the album harken back to that boom bap flavor that so many of us enjoy but rarely hear. Black El uses Durkin’s talents to the fullest extent. His high energy vocals and above average flow and wordplay kept me engage from track one to track ten. There was no let down. The two proved to be a perfect combination on Color Commentary.
This album is banger after banger. It simply is a pleasure to listen to. The sound is dope through out but the content certainly is varied. Pride, for instance opens up the listener to not just one of the Seven Deadly Sins, but also the confidence that Black El has developed over his years. He speaks on the situations that have arisen in his life and his ability to step up to the plate and hold onto his pride.
Sunday Drive is the perfect cut to ride to. The beat for this joint is my favorite on the album. Black El speaks on the 9 to 5 grind and the ability to escape from time to time in your ride. The track had me slowing down my speed, rolling the window down, and just chilling. It’s a very therapeutic joint and a definite head nodder.
Arguably the hardest joint on the album is the posse cut, Dead Poet Society. The track features Jelani and Jon Hope. Each of these talented emcees drop solid verses and Durkin laces us with the darkest production on the album. That production is a little different than you will find on other tracks. While the rest of the album is that throwback boom bap, Dead Poet Society is more contemporary and is driven more by the keyboard than the hi-hats and snares. This really makes this track stand out for the better. Lyrically this track is one of the more superior joints.
I feel that this album is one of the more fun listens of 2010. I could enjoy the album track for track and not have to worry about the fast forward button at all. Give Color Commentary a chance and enjoy for yourself. (Stream/Download below)
