A Return to Rap’s Basics
By titling his latest album Classic, West Coast rapper M.E.D. seems to be promising a return to either his roots or the roots of rap. It’s not clear which. The album boasts a groove appeal more likely to appear in early ’90s rap than the electro beats of the 2000s. However, songs such as “Int’l” and “JWF” pay homage to the rap of simpler times (mainly Cypress Hill knockoffs) without offering anything new to the genre.
M.E.D. drifts from track to track without any real spark to his voice. Stylistically he is rapping, but no feeling is coming from it. The only song of any real substance, “Blaxican,” offers a voice to the struggles of minority groups teaming together to overcome injustice. In this track, he departs from tired topics such as “Where I’m From’s” hometown pride and “Medical Card’s” party anthems. No where else in the album does he venture off from traditional hip hop memes.
Classic doesn’t reinvent the wheel, and truthfully it doesn’t even pay adequate homage to the rap of old. The album is solid mediocrity – something you can listen to a few times but largely forgettable.
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