July 10, 2009

Mr. Brown
Mr. Brown Poetry
Savannah, GA
Recorded at AWOL Inc. studio | Produced by Alex
Goose of The Big Up | Additional production by
Nick Stein and DJ Trademark | Recorded and
mixed by Kid Syc | Additional recording and
mixing by Nick Stein and DJ Valis


Mid-20s, smartmouthed, free-associative, and unabashedly candid, this Savannah MC has a lot of what it takes to be a good Southern rapper. His rigid, percussive flow, paired with a frictionless diction, gives the impression his eyes don’t stray far from his book of rhymes, though, which separates him some from the free-flowing Southern mindset. That is not to say that Brown is lacking soul, but that the soul takes flight less in his delivery and more in his words.

Lively verses like, “My hunger pains won’t go away, it seems like I’m getting sicker/That must be why I’m spittin bars like I’m throwin up Snickers,” contrast with “They made cement with my dreams/ They’re not gonna be laughin when I’m smashin it” for a broad emotional spectrum. In “Plan Your Escape,” Brown laments a lost love, and earlier on “Be Here a Minute,” he raps about his relationship with Hip-Hop personified, a veritable lyrical rite of passage for any stern-worded MC.

He chides other rappers for their “redundant rhymes and unjustified verses,” stepping dangerously close to the stereotypical underground sermonizer, but falls back on lighthearted, jocular banter, stating his mantra, “they say the key to balance is moderation,” on one of the album’s strongest tracks, “The Right Amount.”

Behind the verses lay clean beats, with production duties shared by DJ Trademark, Kid Syc and Alex Goose. Soulful vocal and horn samples flow over simple drum patterns and sampled bass lines to set a very rapper-accessible scene for the debuting artist. By album’s end, Brown is exhausted, admitting that “even though I’m here I already feel like I’m gone.” Enlightening, but distressful all the same for such a young MC.

Look for a full length to drop sometime next year, and his crew Union of Sacred Monsters’ upcoming collaborative EP out this year.
-Jake Schnaidt
myspace.com/mrbrownpoetry

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