Rating: NNN
Champions of Canada’s underappreciated world-class dancehall/hiphop efforts should spend 2007 celebrating Toronto’s Tru-paz. Boozy’s smart yardie harmony warms each song, and Akim’s message remains edutaining, but his flow could be smoother on occasion. DJ Unknown’s pulsing, percussive dub reggae/rap headbangers meet both vocalists’ styles perfectly, carrying the conceptually complete Concrete Kings album confidently forward to the finale. MC Justice, um, does justice to his two guest spots, and Hotel Hell sounds like a grandiose Godfather III-inspired anti-incarceration anthem, which should make for a powerful video. Word to Urbnet – Tru-Paz have stormed the airwaves fresh for 2007.
