Sunday, February 24, 2013

A is for Ab-Soul "Control System"

Sorry for missing my Saturday assignment, but my work schedule is only hardest on Mondays and Saturdays.

Ab-Soul - Control System


In this new generation of hip-hop/rap kids, there are many influences that I might not be able to truly relate to.  At the same time, I've been listening to a lot hip hop/rap for years.  This has allowed me to be able follow a lot of the trend and see where things are going.  With Ab-Soul's contribution to the genre, you see the potential and the downside at the same time.

Control System is a good "first" album, for any rap artist.  What it needs though is more focus and range.  Ab-Soul follows the Camron/Young Jeezy/Kayne West tradition of rhyming.  This is the downside to his hip hop.  He provides more of an Dr Seuss rhyming style as opposed to showing depth.  Like on the track "Terrorist Threat," the lyrics - "Babylon, Babylon/All is see out the window is Babylon/On the news all I see is Babylon/and all these dudes do is babble on" show a lack of creativity.  This is a common theme throughout.  Plus, if you're going to make a song about anti-military/government, etc, then you need to come hard.  And very hard.  No one likes a soft "anti" song.  The lyricism is one of two things that bother me about the album.  The other is the beat production on the majority of the tracks is the exact same styling.  I know many producers do this, but they succeed because they change the focus of the beats or the instruments themselves (vary drums, horns, etc).  There doesn't seem to be a whole lot of this with Control System.  The majority of tracks also have a very slow beat rhythm.




I know the whole swag scene is what's big in hip-hop these days, but it has to change.  Most of the beats present the swag style and, for me, I could do without a whole album this way.  On the track "SOPA," guest mc Schoolboy Q does great job.  The song also prrovides a DJ Screw style hook.  The whole track should be done that way. Plus, if you are going to name a song "SOPA," please make it about SOPA, the Stop Online Piracy Act and what it represents.   This lack of true focus is a shame, but it is the best track on the album.  It and "Lust Demons," which guest The Chicago Kid who I thought was Twista at first, are the highlights of the album.  These two tracks show the potential that Ab-Soul has.  He creates a slow jam, hip-hop track, but he doesn't need three or four.  Ab-Soul also need to make sure he delivers harder and more honest when he makes his socially conscious tracks.

All in all, I'm not truly impressed with the album, but there are a few potential gems.  Plus, there is a promise of Ab-Soul being better, but there has to be more focus.  I do appreciate the few tracks that deliver on the production.  I believe in the true marriage of beats and rhymes.  I'm sure when I need to get into a certain mood, I will reach out for Ab-Soul, but for regular rotation it is on pause.

With time, we will all see how he grows.  "I just wanna be free/I ain't trying to be nobody shadow."  Hopefully Ab-Soul can learn to be himself on his next album a little more.  I look forward to seeing that change.

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