A shock from one of many Golden Era’s most recognizable and oft-kilter voices fused with the dwell instrumentation pattern collection of Real Bad Man, Kool Keith’s “Serpent” has arrived simply in time to have fun the Spring Equinox ringing within the yr of the Snake. Surrounded with the unfastened narration of a remedy session with a educated hypnotist, Keith embodies simply that as he makes a concentrated effort to place forth his most cohesive challenge up to now.
“Serpent” is as severe as Keith has ever sounded, particularly since his UltraMagnetic inception, Keith has been identified to have a number of the most crude and cartoonish subject material placed on wax up to now, inspiring the likes of Rock and Roll Hall of Famer’s comparable to Eminem. But right here in “Serpent”, listeners are handled to the stream of acutely aware raps that impressed the Bad Half of Bad Meets Evil as one can examine a observe from right here to any of Royce Da 5″9’s current verses and see the affect.
“Serpent” shouldn’t be overloaded with options, however Slug shines on the backwards and forwards “Fire And Ice” as he speaks on the consolation he has discovered over time in his Twin City dwelling, whereas Cool Calm Pete (“Sleep”) and Edan (“Rugged Rugged”) get metaphysical and meet Black Elvis in area to the past. “Serpent” is a Kool Keith file, so there isn’t too many catchy hooks right here. Most of the songs characteristic a few verses stuffed in by jazz solos that solely Real Bad Man can present, however when there’s a hook, Keith delivers items that could possibly be performed in stadiums, such because the Super Sonic’s ode “Off The Glass”. “Jungle Fever” is one other minimize with a refrain, that questions the fetishization of U.S. “black” tradition from it’s pains and pleasures, whereas Ice-T pops in on each “Fire And Ice” and the D.I.D. expose “Battle” to string collectively the verses, not providing a 16 of his personal, however changing into an integral a part of the file like on Roc Marciano and ALC’s newest “The Elephant Man’s Bones”.
The solely difficulty with “Serpent” is the abrupt ending to the druggy anthem “Trippin Over Flowers”. Other than that, Keith and Bad Man’s sonic journey is a twisted because the orobis and layered as the various skins on prime of a snake. With loads of hidden meanings coded into Keith’s lyrics, “Serpent” is a few new blood bringing out the venom from one of the authentic acts from the borough of Hip-Hop’s originators.
Score : 4/5
Artists: Kool Keith, Real Bad Man
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