At a Glance: History is filled with landmarks. These events not only change history, but its course. Music is no different. The Beatles’ Ed Sullivan performance, Aerosmith singing with Run DMC, and the release of Nirvana’s Nevermind are examples of events that not only changed music, but American culture as a whole. The Catholic Hip-Hop community has lacked any real significant landmarks. In fact, most of the world doesn’t know it exist. Righteous B’s newest release, Sweatshop Sessions is about to change that.
A hip-hop tour-de-force, Sweatshop Sessions bleeds with originality and style. Every track starts with a beat demanding your attention, keeps you listening with clever rhyming, and brings you back with a catchy hook. Each song provides its own unique style and vibe. Opening track “Move” steers the listener to the dance floor (You don’t gotta move but you can if you want to/Aint gotta shake but you can if you want to). The lyrically powerful, “Old Men Dreaming” exhibits a raw emotional punch (Turn that track loud/Till you hear what I spittin/You old mean dream dreams/You young men see visions). Sweatshop Sessions grabs the listener and refuses to let go.
Pro Social Content: Jam-packed with positive and candid lyrics, Sweatshop Sessions tackles a diversity of subjects. The albums catchiest track, “Drunk” celebrates joy in the Spirit(I hit the well spring of life/And I aint taking no sips). The haunting track “Two Steps” tackles the frustration of sin (I take two steps forward and three steps back/ I leave life right where I lost it at). Refusing to back down from any taboo topic, Righteous B demands that his voice be heard.
Objectionable Content: If you don’t like white people rapping, then yes this album is filled with objectionable content.
Summary/Suggestions: Sweatshops Sessions is a landmark achievement. Never before has there been anything like this in the Catholic Hip-hop community. If you’re tired of the same old hip-hop, you need to pay attention to this album. A fusion of innovative beats, dynamic rhyming, and catchy hooks; buy two copies so your covered when your first is damaged from repetitive spins
Luke Cary
LIFETEEN.com
