Pick of the Week #14: Justis

(I'm a big fan of this album cover... reminds me of Little Brother's The Listening ... maybe its just the colour scheme...)

If you're coming across BM for the first time this is where I introduce a hip-hop album by explaining that I used to be really into hip-hop, but am not really plugged-in any more... but, really, 3 of my last 4 picks of the week have been "urban" (for those of you unwilling to click on the link, its Stanley from the Office): K'naan, the Tor/Suf Stevens Mashup, and now Justis.

So, anyways, usually my obligatory "when I was a kid..." intro is followed up by how said new hip-hop artists, in this case Justis, reminds me of someone that I used to listen to. Who does Justis remind me of? Well, the soul beats/jazz samples/live instrumentation(?) remind me a little of 9th Wonder (who started with Little Brother, but has produced for EVERYONE now - Jay-z, Beyonce - and has put out a couple of stellar remix albums God's Stepson and Black is Back), but I can't really put my finger on what Justis' actual flow(?) sounds like... again, not really plugged-in any more...

Like most hip-hop albums, it follows along a pretty standard schedule of songs: song about how real the rapper is to establish credibility, song encouraging bitches to dance, song about how they are strugglin', etc., but I guess that would be an issue if I felt like it was over the top, trying to rip someone off, or otherwise - I think the term is 'biting' - someone elses material.

Regardless of what Justis is saying (although there are some great punch-lines), the topics he covers, the combination of his flow and over the jazzy, often Stevie Wonder-esque beats, left me with my head nodding for somewhere around an hour...

[mp3] Justis - Cocaine
[mp3] Justis - Power of One

Pick of the Week #1: Ketch Harbour Wolves
Pick of the Week #2: Rah Rah
Pick of the Week #3: Glasvegas/Animal Collective
Pick of the Week #4: Bruce Peninsula
Pick of the Week #5: The Antlers
Pick of the Week #6: The Darcys
Pick of the Week #7: Ohbijou
Pick of the Week #8: Gentlemen Husbands
Pick of the Week #9: Chris Whitley
Pick of the Week #10: Alela Diane
Pick of the Week #11: K'naan
Pick of the Week #12: TOR/Sufjan Stevens
Pick of the Week #13: Timber Timbre