Sunday, 13 January 2008
Ghetto – Ghetto Gospel Album Review
Peace be with you, you may now be seated. Ghetto is back with his own gospel but is it worth spreading the ‘good word’ about? Truth be told I think I got caught up in all the hype surrounding this release. Dizzee was dropping Maths & English and Wiley was releasing Playtime’s Over just as Ghetto leaked the album cover images.
So it was a good time for grime and the internet was going slightly nuts for the new Ghetts release. With a heavy single on rotation and a top class remix of it, I can’t deny my excitement levels were slightly higher than usual. Things were looking up because the tracklist didn’t appear to show Elton John or crappy US Hip Hop on the bill. Sadly my prayers (Gospel – Prayers? Anyone?) weren’t answered fully.
No the Rocket Man isn’t singing on the choruses of any songs, but the latter problem sadly pops its ugly head up. It is a criticism Ghetto is constantly faced with and I like to stay away from the hip hop/grime debate usually, but it cannot go unnoticed on Ghetto Gospel. Tracks like ‘Closed Thing To Heaven’ and ‘Hero’ have the most cringe worthy samples possible. Bonnie Tyler’s ‘I Need A Hero’ doesn’t need any more publicity thank you very much. On a realer note, it is lazy from a producer’s point of view because it’s too easy to loop well known songs and sell it based on the popularity of the original. Kudos lost for that basic mistake when it comes to creativity.
That said, Ghetto Gospel does start well with Ghetto’s hard hitting intro blazing straight into ‘Top 3 Selected’. The best song on the album by a stinking hot mile. Things take a turn for the worse after ‘Menace’ the dramatic Scorcher beat, because we have the annoying ‘Hero’ followed by ‘Drivers Anthem’ which sounds similar to ‘Menace’ without any of the extravagance Scorch captured the first time round.
I quite like ‘Touch The Sky’ Ghetto rides the beat well, even if it does have a Pinky & Perky cameo in it. Mr Slash produces the next two tracks ‘C P B’ and ‘Just Don’t Know’ which are great beats allowing Ghetto to express himself clearly.
I can understand Ghetto’s appeal to grime fans because he is more lyrical than most, but after a whole CD of him I feel drained. His voice can be wearing and isn’t as easily accessible as other artists for example Kano. Ghetto Gospel feels like it is stuck between being a Dipset CD and a grime mixtape, so the outcome isn’t very fulfilling as it lacks any real direction. With a new mixtape said to be in the works and Rapid behind the production desk on every track you would be as well to wait until then. I expect to see you next Sunday, peace be with you.
Blacksterz
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