NOTHING TRAJIK HERE: Area rapper serves up exceptional debut
Oh, the perils of reviewing Kansas City rap albums. The process tends to be almost comical, as most local rap artists don’t have what it takes to make it in the rap game. A few can hold their own and one even is what Biggie was to NY but, for the most part, the talent is either premature or non-existent.
Fortunately, local rappers have the release of newly formed record label 70 Mile’s first solo artist, Monte Terrill, aka Trajik. His debut album 1ne Of A Kynd is a blueprint for how to make a quality record.
1ne Of A Kynd starts off with “They Call Me (Trajik),” an introduction of who he is and what he’s about. Beats by RonnzfromBerlin help make this song a strong introduction to the rest of the album. “Got 4 Me” features excellent vocals by R&B singer Voodou and a smooth, jazzy beat produced by 16-year-old Supaman. This song is guaranteed to be a hit with the ladies.
As you progress through the album, you come across a wide variety of songs. The ingenuity of the album lies with Trajik’s ability to be versatile and allow different types of songs to be listed. If you like mainstream, he’s got it. Love songs, street music, club jams, real hip-hop, you better believe he’s got that too. “Love We Had,” with Glennae, gives a softer side of his music, with rhymes like, “I admit I had a few/but they don’t treat me like you do/none of them compared to you”. He’s then quickly able to turn around and deliver a NAS-like lyrical killing to an unrepentant rapper in “Never.” “To me its more than words/when lyrics diverge/see bullets emerge/and bodies submerge/I’m still gonna splurge.”
And where would a KC rap album be without the notorious Tech N9ne? “In MY City” features him, along with some of KC’s better rappers, like Hobotone, Big Krizz Kaliko, and BoChamp. Although, the song would have been a Kansas City classic had Below Zero been added to the roster.
With 21 tracks, only one didn’t sit well with me. “Ay Papi” is original, but the chorus tends to get to you after awhile. The beat would be all right if you were rolling through Jamaica, Queens.
1ne Of A Kynd possesses just about everything needed to be a hit, not just locally, but perhaps nationally, with the right marketing and support from local radio stations. Production by Tekneko Bros, 5150 Mental and young phenom Supaman help make 1ne Of A Kynd truly one of a kind. For purchasing info visit www.70mile.com.
Brad Shelton - THE LONGVIEW CURRENT
Oh, the perils of reviewing Kansas City rap albums. The process tends to be almost comical, as most local rap artists don’t have what it takes to make it in the rap game. A few can hold their own and one even is what Biggie was to NY but, for the most part, the talent is either premature or non-existent.
Fortunately, local rappers have the release of newly formed record label 70 Mile’s first solo artist, Monte Terrill, aka Trajik. His debut album 1ne Of A Kynd is a blueprint for how to make a quality record.
1ne Of A Kynd starts off with “They Call Me (Trajik),” an introduction of who he is and what he’s about. Beats by RonnzfromBerlin help make this song a strong introduction to the rest of the album. “Got 4 Me” features excellent vocals by R&B singer Voodou and a smooth, jazzy beat produced by 16-year-old Supaman. This song is guaranteed to be a hit with the ladies.
As you progress through the album, you come across a wide variety of songs. The ingenuity of the album lies with Trajik’s ability to be versatile and allow different types of songs to be listed. If you like mainstream, he’s got it. Love songs, street music, club jams, real hip-hop, you better believe he’s got that too. “Love We Had,” with Glennae, gives a softer side of his music, with rhymes like, “I admit I had a few/but they don’t treat me like you do/none of them compared to you”. He’s then quickly able to turn around and deliver a NAS-like lyrical killing to an unrepentant rapper in “Never.” “To me its more than words/when lyrics diverge/see bullets emerge/and bodies submerge/I’m still gonna splurge.”
And where would a KC rap album be without the notorious Tech N9ne? “In MY City” features him, along with some of KC’s better rappers, like Hobotone, Big Krizz Kaliko, and BoChamp. Although, the song would have been a Kansas City classic had Below Zero been added to the roster.
With 21 tracks, only one didn’t sit well with me. “Ay Papi” is original, but the chorus tends to get to you after awhile. The beat would be all right if you were rolling through Jamaica, Queens.
1ne Of A Kynd possesses just about everything needed to be a hit, not just locally, but perhaps nationally, with the right marketing and support from local radio stations. Production by Tekneko Bros, 5150 Mental and young phenom Supaman help make 1ne Of A Kynd truly one of a kind. For purchasing info visit www.70mile.com.
Brad Shelton - THE LONGVIEW CURRENT
