The thing that underground hip-hop prides itself on -- above all else -- is its dissimilarity with itsmainstream counterpart. And what could be more different than an entire hip-hop album with no guest spots and only one producer?
Soul Position, the hip-hop duo of Blueprint and RJD2, built on the old-school foundation of one producer and one rapper to create their refreshing debut album, 8 Million Stories. They continue with this simple formula on their new release, Things Go Better with RJ and Al.
RJD2 handles all of the production on the album, constructing soul-tinged soundscapes, while Blueprint accentuates the album's melodies with his booming vocals.
Unlike other underground rappers who flaunt their ability to speak high-speed, abstract rhymes, Blueprint manages to display his skills without confusing the listener. On the album's first vocal track, "No Gimmicks," he states plainly what he's not about: "No slogans, no twenty inch rims rolling / no GOAT fronts, no publicity stunts / no make believe beef, no shoot-outs in the street / this is it, no gimmicks, no limits."
Blueprint's lyrics are still as free-wheeling and humorous as they were on Soul Position's previous efforts, but it is apparent from Things Go Better's start that he intends to bring more to the table than just worn-out braggadocio and battle-raps. On the first few tracks of the album, he delivers engaging verses, dealing with issues ranging from freedom in modern society ("I'm Free") to the heritage of hip-hop ("Hand-Me-Downs") without falling into the trap of unnecessary abstraction that often plagues underground rappers.
But despite these highlights, it becomes clear that Blueprint is trying in vain to find some middle ground between juvenile joke raps and moralizing rhymes. For every track where he seems to be on the verge of an introspective breakthrough, there is another that comes off as boorish -- if not asinine. It becomes hard to take Blueprint's abstinence pleas seriously ("The Cool Thing to Do") when he talks about waking up with "girls who look like Dave Lettermen" ("Blame it on the Jager").
Another detrimental aspect that becomes painfully obvious from song to song is the fact that Blueprint can't write a good hook to save his life. Too often, choruses are simply words spoken or chanted with little regard for fluidity or structure. For instance, on the song "Drugs, Sex, Alcohol, Rock-n-Roll," Blueprint simply repeats the title of the song four times as a chorus. It's a matter of debate whether this is a result of a lackadaisical effort or simply an innate inability to write a hook. It is unnerving, however, to hear often insightful lyrics accentuated by poor choruses.
These problems are exemplified on the song "I Need My Minutes," where Blueprint raps about exactly what the song's title suggests: his cell phone bill. Add to the poor choice of material a hook consisting of "I need my minutes" repeated ad nauseam and the listener is left with a track that disrupts the flow of the entire CD.
Fortunately, RJD2 manages to create a musical backbone for Things Go Better that comes to define it in the face of Blueprint's many missteps. In an attempt to give his vocal foil room to work, he often sacrifices the rich, layered quality of his solo material for a more stripped-down approach. However, an emphasis on simple thumping bass lines, loud, jarring horns and high-speed synthesized strings serves as a perfect melodic backdrop for Blueprint's lucid, muscular delivery.
Ultimately, while it may be refreshing to hear a more socially conscious side to Soul Position, they fail in their execution, unable to bring the promise of deeper lyrical material and well-crafted beats to fruition in the form of a truly accomplished album.
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