Rating: NNNN
The problem with much political hiphop is that it often lacks the production power to back up its ideas. You’re not gonna feel the words of someone rapping over ninth-rate DJ Premier rip-off beats or grating P.E.-style noise. Iraqi MC the Narcicyst, of Montreal-based underground duo Euphrates, speaks with the kind of political salience that requires quality beats.
Luckily, beatmakers Sandhill muster that power through rhythms that are rife with sophisticated samples, dramatic classical strings, Eastern melodies and thick Spanish guitars on this double-CD collection. The production, reminiscent of Jedi Mind Tricks’ Stoupe, is the perfect backdrop for the Narcicyst’s rhymes, which voice sociopolitical concerns using battle-hungry lyricism and intricate imagery.