iHipHop Admin
It’s no secret that a vast majority of hardworking Americans come from the city of Detroit, Michigan—so the general public shouldn’t be surprised that the MC population is also included in that statistic.
Over the years, the Motor City has proven that they have a lot more to offer the world Hip-Hop wise than just Eminem and his band of merry men; so adding to the fraternity is newcomer Finale [Click to read Finale interview] with his debut album simply titled A Pipe Dream And A Promise.
Filled with blue-collar lyricism that the “common man” can relate to (especially in these current times), the Detroit Hip-Hop community comes together to help out their brethren with Black Milk contributing two tracks alongside J Dilla donating one of his own posthumously.
Possessing a distinctively deceptive flow pattern, which seems slow, but in reality can be compared to a machinegun with a broken safety; Finale [Click to read Finale interview] introduces himself to Hip-Hop fans starving for originality with ‘Arrival & Departure’ and it’s dual-production sequences.
North Carolina beat man Khrysis takes a trip up North, and puts his touch on ‘The Waiting Game.’ Over squeaky unrecognizable sound effects and simple but adequate drum loops, Finale [Click to read Finale interview] shows off his metaphor game, “And I made it all on my terms/and I’m fine with everything/go ‘head, it’s your turn/you can be the hottest one around/I’m a slow burn.”
Black Milk harnesses the power of orchestra strings, and conjures up ‘One Man Show,’ and Finale compliments the flawless piece of music by taking center stage just as the title depicts. Even in the afterlife, J Dilla continues to amaze with his unique brand of production, and it comes into play on ‘Heat.’
Doing the beat justice by all means, Finale puts the emphasis on it with lines like, “Underground like I’m speakin’ through a manhole/the muscle big enough to start a Barry Bonds scandal/I drop hard as an Looney Tune anvil/your career’s short as Emmanuel/come and get your manual.”
Other songs included in the dream is the boot camp-influenced ‘Jumper Cables’ (produced by Nottz), the piano-based ‘A Reason,’ the life tales of ‘Issues,’ and ‘Paid Homage’ (a tribute to J Dilla).
Finale’s A Pipe Dream And A Promise represents a sound that has fully taken over Motown. He follows the same path as other MC’s from the region that continue to do their part when it comes the preservation of true Hip-Hop.
No flashy gimmicks, just the basic fundamentals that helped the genre flourish into what it has become today. Even though Hip-Hop sometime takes a turn for the worst, it’s always nice to see someone capable of steering it back in the right direction from time to time.
Rating: 3.5
