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As hip-hop steadily progress towards its younger artists being the center of attention and popularity, it is important to note just how special it is when one of the game’s elder statesmen take the time and effort to produce unapologetically original and thought provoking music. From the message to the sound and feel, you can tell when an artist has grown up with music as a whole and respects its importance. Philadelphia MC and rap music fixture Black Thought played a key role in 2018 being an excellent year for lyricists in hip-hop. In ___ he paired with legendary producer 9th Wonder for a short but impactful 5 song project titled Streams of Thought, Vol. 1. It can be argued that no rapper rhymed better on any respective project than the famed The Roots member. 9th wonder provided an array of instrumentals that were perfect matches for the directness of Black Thought’s tone and subject matter. For fans of this particular area of Hip-Hop, it felt as if they were getting an unexpected gift for their birthday. The pen was as sharp as ever and the production as crisp as it gets; many publications listed it as a top album of 2018. For most artists, a reception like that would be enough to relax for the rest of the year and to survey the hip-hop landscape until its time to make another appearance. But Black Thought is one of the greatest rappers of all time, and he’s not most artists. He would bless his fans with yet another rapper-producer based collab, this time with well established producer Salaam Remi. The project, titled Streams of Thought, Vol. 2. released on November 26, 2018; and though it may not have been as promoted or celebrated as volume one, it’s possibly even better than its predecessor. Only 9 songs in length with a run time of just 23 minutes, Black Thought makes sure not to waste one second with showing off his superior talents. The opening track Fentanyl is as pinpoint and direct as a rap intro could ever be; its almost certain that the listener will have to play the song back once it’s over. It puts you in the mindset of an artist that wants the listener to understand every single line and have it resonate. Soundtrack to Confusion serves as a sound coming from a man who’s not to be played with, the horns and drums standout on the beat take the listener to the 70’s and 80’s era where instruments reigned supreme. The first two tracks serve as one to the best one-two punches of 2018. Get Outlined provides probably the most nostalgic sound of the entire project, with an instrumental that envokes the spirit of the 80’s rap classic Microphone Fiend by legendary duo Eric B. & Rakim. The aggression, flow and subject matter is old school at its finest; no offbeat rhyme scheme, no singing, no antics, only a legend and a sample. It’s Hip-Hop 101 and Black Thought teaches just as well as he entertains. Whether it’s lightning quick and furious History Unfolds; the subtle yet direct How to Hold a Choppa, or the triumphant flare of The New Grit, the legend sounds like a young artist trying to make it, instead of a great with nothing left to prove. The EP closes out with trio of songs that could all be considered to be the project’s best. Long Liveth is appropriate for the next level flow displayed and the production tailor-made for a pillar of the rap game. Streets, a standout track on the EP, feels like a homecoming for lyrical hip-hop; the agressive rhyming coupled with the booming vocals of singer Tish Hyman are a perfect match. The final track, Conception, is a great send off. The crooning in the background or the instrumental puts the listener right in a 70’s soul show, with one microphone and the music sounding as great as the lyrics. It’s soothing, refreshing and simply, it’s just music. As it should be. Black Thought and Salaam Remi refused to miss on this project; other than the fact that this could’ve been a hour project and asure fire classic album, there are no complaints and definitely no down moments. Hip-hop is in a unique place currently, with all of the different styles and categories artists get coupled with. Lyrical , trap, mumble, boom-bap; there isn’t one particular sound that’s the undisputed king of genre. But, there is still a pecking order of artists who demand respect every time they pick up a microphone. And Black Thought took his 2018 reminding fans, peers and critics that in the rap game, he’s the pinnacle. Top 5 Songs: 1. Get Outlined 2. Fentanyl 3. Soundtrack to Confusion 4. Streets 5. Long Liveth
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