While The Professor typically interviews local artists for The Professor’s Chair, this week he is reviewing some of his favorite local rap albums and hip-hop artists.
Mark NuYork – “Real Talk”
Compared by many to Jay-Z, Mark NuYork has a message that Jay has been missing his entire career. Mark’s fresh rhymes are all about self-empowerment and lifting your community. On songs like “Fight for a Cause,” NuYork rips the mic on how making millions can do wonders for his neighbors and their aspirations. The beats on “Real Talk” are reminiscent of hip-hop’s roots while staying fresh and timeless. NuYork has been selling his self-produced album on the streets of Miami and Fort Lauderdale, and he’s poised to reintroduce real talk to the world of hip-hop.
TwinFolk – “Growth and Development”
On “Growth and Development,” TwinFolk improves on their impressive debut “Welcome to the Fort.” While “Welcome to the Fort” had some of the rawest tracks to hit the streets of Broward and Miami-Dade, their maturation on “Growth and Development” is something to marvel at. “Tequila Wishes, Chronic Dreams” is a chill head-banger that lets you feel that your deepest desires are right at your fingertips. And “Laudadale Ball” is straight party music that should make every South Floridian proud. MCs Cashus Clay and Bugsy Mac are a duo that brings to mind early Outkast with their lyrical ingenuity and authentic flow. These guys are highly recommended for all hip-hop lovers, not just southern rap fanatics.
Slick Jones – “Upper Classman”
Another rising Florida MC, Slick Jones proved on his debut album “Upper Classman” that he is a different breed of rap star, unafraid to talk about both cars and connecting to a higher power. On “My Car,” listeners are treated to a king-maker of driving rhymes, such as the line “Rolling in my car/she said she want a ride/I got my top back/So I don’t even hide.”
Switching it up, Slick Jones gets metaphysical on the old-school vibe of “Spiritual Flow,” with lyrics like “I arose in the a.m./Feelin the right way/Feelin great in the converse like man, this is a bright day/If only you could see the smile that is on my face/The joy I find in God when I live for him on my way.” It’s a joy to listen this slick artist.
Exact Change Project – “Escape Capsule”
An amazing fusion of jazz and hip-hop, Exact Change Project’s debut album is reminiscent of “A Tribe Called Quest,” with the funky beats and super tight flow of Formula J, the resident MC. Songs like “Ya Gotta Have Heart” embody everything hip-hop has always aspired to be. Exact Change Project goes next level with “Space Slingin,” a song about an outer space adventure and a revolutionary message from another galaxy.
As always, the Local Show covers music that is making its way up from the underground no matter what the location, and Exact Change Project’s home stomping grounds are none other than New York City, the home of hip-hop pioneers galore. It’s a fitting place for one of the most progressive groups in the genre.
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