The fifth album from Bay Area hip-hop duo Blackalicious begins with MC Gift of Gab playing the actual role of an emcee. “We’d like to welcome you all again to the world of vibrations,” raps Gab on the opening cut, “World of Vibrations.” The track is a blissfully syncopated affair, with producer Chief Xcel serving up a relentless, piano-heavy beat to Gab, who blows it to smithereens with his astounding, triplet-heavy flow. It’s a slamming introduction that embodies everything unique and true about Blackalicious: loose, funky arrangements, intense mic skills and lyrics spiked with spiritualism, adoration of the art form, pop culture references and some old-school egotism (remember when rappers would brag about their skills instead of their bank accounts?). And the rest of the LP doesn’t disappoint. As if previous efforts like Nia and Blazing Arrow weren’t convincing enough, The Craft is undeniable evidence that this duo is as innovative and jaw-droppingly talented as any group in all of hip-hop.
The album title is a testament to how Xcel and Gab feel about their profession, and as the record sprawls across the musical and thematic map from track to track, it’s clear they’re not fond of filler – rumor has it that The Craft was boiled down from a marathon recording session, at which Blackalicious cut 120 songs (not a misprint, folks). The result is a rarity amongst hip-hop records: no skits, no tired funk and R&B samples (except for an effective usage of Kurtis Blow’s “If I Ruled The World”), no horrible odes to the wonders of pimping tossed in towards the end.
Amidst songs like “World of Vibrations” and “Rhythm Sticks,” which tap the classic Blackalicious formula, lie some incredible sonic experiments. “Powers” rivals Outkast’s breakout hit “Hey Ya” in terms of sheer fun and ultimate catchiness, boasting a sizzling R&B groove, complete with punchy backup singers and Gab’s wry singing delivery. In terms of production value, it outdoes Andre 3000’s pop classic. On a more dramatic tip, “The Fall And Rise Of Elliot Brown” tells the story of an incarcerated boy who changes his ways. Gift of Gab is doing what he does best here, flexing his muscles as a storyteller over a tight, horn-heavy, Earth Wind & Fire beat: “He got honest/Started to read and acquire self-knowledge/Learned he was royalty and didn’t come from garbage/How to embrace struggle and learn from his problems.”
In this day and age, you can have a smash hit without actually writing anything: see Usher’s “Yeah,” Ciara’s “Oh” and Jay-Z’s next single, “Duh.” When listening to The Craft, it’s obvious that these dudes can write, and their creations jump off the page like the radioactive love child of KRS-One, Ralph Ellison, Sly Stone and a grasshopper. This album is simply wonderful, and yet another reminder of how thankful we should be that Blackalicious exists.
Appeared in the October 13, 2005, issue of Artvoice.