Spring Break
CD Review: Rapper Kamachi needs to stay underground
Jeremy Carmona
Issue date: 2/7/07 Section: Entertainment
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02/07/07 - Trying to direct hip-hop into a positive direction on Concrete Gospel, Chief Kamachi is better off preaching to another crowd. He claims that hip-hop is in danger of losing its true meaning, and he wants to make people globally conscious.
I'm not sure what this means, but what I do know is that this album isn't going global anytime soon.
Chief Kamachi was an original member of the underground group Army of the Pharaohs, along with Vinnie Paz, a member of Jedi Mind Tricks, not the prizefighter. Kamachi is considered an important part of the underground hip-hop circuit because of his work with The Roots, Gang Starr, and D.I.T.C.
Concrete Gospel is a representation of Chief Kamachi's temper toward the desperate state of Black America, and his hope for the future. He also broaches the topics of religion, politics and the ongoing struggle for his people.
Chief Kamachi seems as if he's trying so hard to become this leader of a movement that doesn't need to be moved. The title of the album makes Kamachi seem as if he is God-like. Concrete Gospel refers to the story in the Bible about Moses and the 10 Commandments, and how God had etched each one in stone.
More ridiculous than the title are the songs and their content. First off, I understand that everyone has the right to artistic expression, but to think that you're something that you're not really irritates me.
"Little African Boy" gives warning to all young African-American boys to look at their surroundings and to embrace everything that happens so you can grow strong and wise.
On "Death Choir," one of the worst songs on the album, Chief Kamachi makes his singing debut and does a horrible job. I couldn't tell you what this song is even about except for the chorus, which is "sing for the death choir."
"Scattered Sermons" is something that the family can enjoy. Nothing like sitting around the dinner table and talking about how when scrolls fall from this "ghetto" heaven, along with its apostles, that the good word of the ghetto will be spread upon the land. Boy, I can't wait for that to happen.
I don't get how you screw up an album when you have beatmakers DJ Huggy and E-Dan, who have worked with Ghostface Killah, Jurassic 5 and Black Rob. Granted, Black Rob only had that one song, but it was still a better result than Chief Kamachi's work.
Speaking as an avid fan of underground hip-hop, the Chief needs to stay as far under as he can possibly can, because this is just horrible. Preaching sermons that society is already aware of and the constant yelling on each track just isn't needed. I think if you really want a gospel, you're better off just going to church.
I'm not sure what this means, but what I do know is that this album isn't going global anytime soon.
Chief Kamachi was an original member of the underground group Army of the Pharaohs, along with Vinnie Paz, a member of Jedi Mind Tricks, not the prizefighter. Kamachi is considered an important part of the underground hip-hop circuit because of his work with The Roots, Gang Starr, and D.I.T.C.
Concrete Gospel is a representation of Chief Kamachi's temper toward the desperate state of Black America, and his hope for the future. He also broaches the topics of religion, politics and the ongoing struggle for his people.
Chief Kamachi seems as if he's trying so hard to become this leader of a movement that doesn't need to be moved. The title of the album makes Kamachi seem as if he is God-like. Concrete Gospel refers to the story in the Bible about Moses and the 10 Commandments, and how God had etched each one in stone.
More ridiculous than the title are the songs and their content. First off, I understand that everyone has the right to artistic expression, but to think that you're something that you're not really irritates me.
"Little African Boy" gives warning to all young African-American boys to look at their surroundings and to embrace everything that happens so you can grow strong and wise.
On "Death Choir," one of the worst songs on the album, Chief Kamachi makes his singing debut and does a horrible job. I couldn't tell you what this song is even about except for the chorus, which is "sing for the death choir."
"Scattered Sermons" is something that the family can enjoy. Nothing like sitting around the dinner table and talking about how when scrolls fall from this "ghetto" heaven, along with its apostles, that the good word of the ghetto will be spread upon the land. Boy, I can't wait for that to happen.
I don't get how you screw up an album when you have beatmakers DJ Huggy and E-Dan, who have worked with Ghostface Killah, Jurassic 5 and Black Rob. Granted, Black Rob only had that one song, but it was still a better result than Chief Kamachi's work.
Speaking as an avid fan of underground hip-hop, the Chief needs to stay as far under as he can possibly can, because this is just horrible. Preaching sermons that society is already aware of and the constant yelling on each track just isn't needed. I think if you really want a gospel, you're better off just going to church.
