Kid Sublime - Rappin' Blak
A website whose name is a tribute to Dilla isn’t going to have a problem with a producer like Kid Sublime who so openly bares his debt to Detroit’s finest. There’s guest spots from Jaydee’s brother, Illa j, his old sparring partners FranknDank and even a track called “A Cry To Detroit”. The end result is a promising album that suggests that Kid Sublime can more than can hold his own when crafting his alternately soulful and dirty beats, but should hold off trying to emulate his hero on the mic.
“Rappin’ Blak” is a beautifully produced record (actually, beautifully is probably the wrong word for such a dark LP, but you know what I mean) that’s only let down by the substandard performances from the MCs. People such as Camp Lo and Illa J, who should really know better, turn in raps that are passable but don’t do justice to the beats they’re meant to be blessing. Only Frank N Dank, a duo who I’ve never really rated, match the fierce passion of the thumping bass and haunting keys on the incendiary S.C.R.E.A.M. It’s a real shame, given the quality of the licks on the title track that caused Gilles Peterson to pick up “Rappin Blak”. But that was the instrumental version, and to be honest, I’d like to hear the rest of the LP in this form.
That doesn’t mean “Rappin’ Blak” is a weak album but you’re just left wondering what might have been with a more gifted team of MCs. Most of the album bangs, and Kid Sublime’s got a real gift for knowing when to hold off the heavy bits and flip it to a more soulful track. The two part intro is brilliant, as is the all too short “Pityfull Times”, where Kid Sublime mixes a guitar line eerily reminiscent of Q-Tip’s “Breath and Stop” with a melancholy piano line and desolate vocals. “Never Satisfied”, a laidback track with a rich, reggae tinged vocal is another highlight, and the dirge that is “Own World” aside, there’s not a bad track on the album.
Kid Sublime is clearly a talent to be watched, and if he can build on the promise displayed on “Rappin’ Blak” (and learn from the missteps) he’ll be a lot closer to stepping out of Dilla’s sizeable shadow and establishing himself as a talent in his own right.
Rappin Blak is now available here
And you can check Kid Sublime's myspace here: http://www.myspace.com/kidsublimeandlesdeal