What would happen if a lyrical genius disguised himself as a musical madman? He'd be an acid-rapper, of course. Esham, widely considered the granddaddy of the rock-rap genre, and his group Natas release their highly anticipated original album, N Of Tha World on January 24, 2006, four years after their last recording together.
Often thought of as a sage rap prodigy by hip-hop's cognoscenti, Esham's fork-tongued lyrics and acerbic wit form the basis of his rhymes, many of which are critical of the country's current political and social climate. For a rap artist frequently credited for influencing death-metal acts like Slipknot and Marilyn Manson, as well as rap-rockers like Kid Rock and Eminem, the most unexpected aspect of Esham may be his love for classic Philadelphia soul and contemporary blues. Esham's sound has been borrowed and appropriated by many of today's bigger rap stars, though they may not always pay him homage. Nevertheless, Esham is ecstatic about the new album. He says, " N Of Tha World is different from previous Natas albums 'cause it talks about all the shit that's going on in the world today, all the social and political issues. We are the voice for the voiceless. This album, it's the wicket shit. It's modern-day blues. We don't call it 'heavy metal,' we call it 'heavy mental'."
Natas -- an acronym for "Nation Ahead of Time And Space" -- consists of Esham, TNT (Tony Montana) and Mastamind (Gary Reed), a fiery and eclectic trio of creative minds with Esham as the producer and MC. He says of the team, "TNT really stepped-up on this album, as a lyricist. You know, I like to take it back to the old Metallica style." Natas is part hip-hop, part death-metal, part social commentary. When on "Why You Gotta Lie" he rails, "You lyin'-ass politicians! / You lyin', bitch-ass President / All you mothafuckas lyin'!", we must admit: we feel the same way.
N Of Tha World is extremely catchy. Like some hard dope, listeners will be hooked. The album is awash in contrasts: heavy rock guitars and acidic rhymes dominate the blistering "Natas," the enraged "Worlds Apart" and the commercially viable "Niggaz Alwayz Talking Alotta Shit ," while soulful instrumentals and pensive reflection characterize the sentimental "Long As I Live" and "Pancakes And Syrup ," and the funk-a-delic "?." The music rumbles your gut, the beats rattle your teeth, and the rhymes blow your mind. The verses on N Of Tha World are as cutting as they are poignant. The beats are as irresistible as they are thrilling. On "Long As I Live," Esham raps gently, "I'm not talking 'gansta' / I'm talking 'God'."
For more info check out www.acidrap.com
Often thought of as a sage rap prodigy by hip-hop's cognoscenti, Esham's fork-tongued lyrics and acerbic wit form the basis of his rhymes, many of which are critical of the country's current political and social climate. For a rap artist frequently credited for influencing death-metal acts like Slipknot and Marilyn Manson, as well as rap-rockers like Kid Rock and Eminem, the most unexpected aspect of Esham may be his love for classic Philadelphia soul and contemporary blues. Esham's sound has been borrowed and appropriated by many of today's bigger rap stars, though they may not always pay him homage. Nevertheless, Esham is ecstatic about the new album. He says, " N Of Tha World is different from previous Natas albums 'cause it talks about all the shit that's going on in the world today, all the social and political issues. We are the voice for the voiceless. This album, it's the wicket shit. It's modern-day blues. We don't call it 'heavy metal,' we call it 'heavy mental'."
Natas -- an acronym for "Nation Ahead of Time And Space" -- consists of Esham, TNT (Tony Montana) and Mastamind (Gary Reed), a fiery and eclectic trio of creative minds with Esham as the producer and MC. He says of the team, "TNT really stepped-up on this album, as a lyricist. You know, I like to take it back to the old Metallica style." Natas is part hip-hop, part death-metal, part social commentary. When on "Why You Gotta Lie" he rails, "You lyin'-ass politicians! / You lyin', bitch-ass President / All you mothafuckas lyin'!", we must admit: we feel the same way.
N Of Tha World is extremely catchy. Like some hard dope, listeners will be hooked. The album is awash in contrasts: heavy rock guitars and acidic rhymes dominate the blistering "Natas," the enraged "Worlds Apart" and the commercially viable "Niggaz Alwayz Talking Alotta Shit ," while soulful instrumentals and pensive reflection characterize the sentimental "Long As I Live" and "Pancakes And Syrup ," and the funk-a-delic "?." The music rumbles your gut, the beats rattle your teeth, and the rhymes blow your mind. The verses on N Of Tha World are as cutting as they are poignant. The beats are as irresistible as they are thrilling. On "Long As I Live," Esham raps gently, "I'm not talking 'gansta' / I'm talking 'God'."
For more info check out www.acidrap.com
