Album Review: Tanya Morgan- Brooklynati

In the land of the “Me, Myself, and I’s,” very seldom do you find Hip-Hop groups still intact, with the exception of a few—and one act that’s still making the grade is Tanya Morgan.

Their name might strike you as an odd one, but this trio will quickly stop you from scratching your temple, and make you begin to nod your head instead.

Consisting of Cincinnati natives Donwill and Ilyas, with Brooklynite Von Pea, they return with their newest album, Brooklynati.

Sticking the formula that brought them recognition on past projects like Moonlighting and The Bridge EP, the threesome continue to play their positions with Donwill and Ilyas serving as the main mouth pieces while, Von Pea mans the boards.

Creating a balance of consciousness and pure lyrical prowess with soulful and jazzy backdrops mixed in, Tanya Morgan paint musical landscapes on songs like ‘Just Not True,’ the civil war between promoters and artists in ‘Don’t U Holla,’ the funk-guitar driven ‘All Eye Need,’ the hard drum kicks of ‘Bang N Boogie,’ and the somber grooves of their love for Hip-Hop in ‘She’s Gone.’

West Coast lyricist Blu comes in to loan his point of view on ‘Morgan Blu,’ as all the MC’s disregard the use of a hook, and take it back to the old school, and rhyme straight through guitar-influenced track.

The rest of the project stays the course with conceptual offerings like ‘Never Enough,’ ‘Were Fly,’ and ‘Forgot 2 Stay.’

Tanya Morgan’s Brooklynati takes Hip-Hop purists down a road that many thought were made into a dead end—and that’s the path to real Hip-Hop, away from all the big corporations, and other negative aspects that continue to poison the culture.

With their brand of music, chances are they won’t be invited on shows like MTV Cribs, anytime soon, but some things are better than bragging out custom-made marble floors; and for Tonya Morgan it’s piece of mind…

Rating: 3.5