Top $ Raz "The New Flesh"

Some review are tough to write for whatever reason, this was one of those reviews. It wasn't because I didn't like the album (Top $ Raz "The New Flesh" might get a 6 out of 5 if I gave stars but I don't so fuck it) and not because I didn't know what to say (at least no more than usual) it was just the fact of me not sitting down and saying write this review damn it. But something good did come out of that, the album began to sink in more and more and found myself almost lost in at times (adding to the difficulty of writing the review) that isn't a bad thing at all, it happens sometimes, especially for me when it has the "modern funk" sounding beats of this album (instrumental version please.) Each time I found something new about it that I didn't notice before, but perhaps I have rambled too much (as always) so let me tell you what I think of this album, here it goes.

Keyboards lift you up as "Mountains" begins, and that is just what the track itself does. Top $ Raz's lyrics are extremely positive (always refreshing) as the chorus demonstrates "Mountains may crumble (uh),But I know I will never break, I pick the world up it’s heavy – breathe, But my knees will never shake! New flesh armor, Yes I’m stronger, I’m blessed—that’s my karma." It is a great way to kick off an album, quality funky beat, powerful "I won't give up" type of song, showing Top $ Raz's ability to write infectious lyrics and craft overall songs. At the end of the track a beautiful piano enters as the vocals fade, leaving the listener with an incredible minute to come down from the mountains.

Then the claps come out heard on "The One" and Raz's lyrics are just as hard hitting as he begins with "Sometimes I WAKE UP! Thinking I’m Nat Turner, Like fuck a slave master , I’mm do what I wanna, Consider myself an owner." You can feel the tension inside Top $ Raz build as he rips through the track, he hits each line hard but not over the top which many MCs would do with this song.

"So Beautiful" erases the tension and sets us in a laid back mood, letting the stress of the world just roll off your shoulders. The beat consists of a solid bass line and what I can only describe as a piano that has the ability to drop coins gently from the sky. But just because it is a relaxed song (both with the beat and the flow) don't think the lyrics do not come strong, "Plants seed in concrete, I be like a botanist, I could see myself in every ghetto optic, I could never fail, uh, failure not an option."

Ciph Diggy and Alvietron join Top $ Raz on "Don't Mind," a song bordering on love song, but more about the appreciation of a woman. It is close to what an R&B get down song use to be, with suggestions of what might be happening instead of the over the top route that R&B singers take today, as Top $ says "I’m a gentleman I wont get explicit."

The synthesizer and drum driven beat set the stage for "Cold/Fresh" where Top $ Raz goes the route of Outkast "So Fresh, So Clean" in other words, you can't fuck with me because damn it man, I am too damn cool to deal with your shit, I am above that. Although Raz says it better than I can esepcially with the line "A cold villain you can call Victor Von Freeze, I’m so high from up here suckas cant breath." The chorus is what really brings this track home and embeds it in your head, the beat rides as Top $ Raz lets us know "Well I’m cold/fresh cool as a breeze, Aint none of yall little homies seeing my steeze, And you already know I’m the man, You High! Tell ‘em boys who the fuck I am!"

"I was always told! Nothing worth selling your soul, What good’s a trophy motherfucker that you cant take home." Those words kick off "The Holy Ghost" featuring Scienze, which happens to be one of the most powerful songs on the album, especially from an artist's point of view. It is the ultimate I will do me song, and not because anything like "I rep the streets, its the code" no, this is based off of a deep belief, that if you aren't true to yourself you are lying to everyone and should expect the same in return. In fact it goes so far as to say if you do not stand by your values "could see the future (future,) Devil gon’ seek ya (seek ya,),Warning through the speaker, Hope the holy ghost reach ya – GO!"

Top $ Raz comes with the incredibly laid back beat of "Jack & Coke Flow," while the flow might be chill and smooth, the lyrics are deeply introspective (as happens sometimes when you drink) as he is "Still shaking cold sweats from my last night vision I was 40 years old and never made it, And couldn’t write single song cuz my talent faded, But hold up! It’s just a dream better wake up!" A rather bold statement to make, something many musicians and writers or any "creative" person fears but rarely puts into a song. Then throws another line you do not expect to find in a hip hop song, especially one called "Jack & Coke Flow," he meets a lady and tells her, "But I cannot love you, Cuz I don’t really love me, You look surprised, I suggest you find another guy, Who can do more, Than just survive," a brutally honest thought.

"The Plague" takes a look at some of the struggles people encounter when they try and make it out of Far Rock. Top $ Raz addresses the crack epidemic (check the lyrics, if you are like me expect your skin to crawl a bit), "I seen fiends get scared, Gouge their own eyes out, But they can still smell and hear, When the pies out," as well as young women being forced into prostitution "When most girls get on their knees for our father, In exchange for drugs for their mommas, Poor daughters…where’s Karma? She been out since twelve on the corner, Push up bra high heels and red garters, Hopin’ for death Russian roulette different partners." YC the Cynic joins in addressing the racism infused into our legal system, "Petty crimes get us a trial to be taken, We aint even surprised they're playing favorites, Who's in them court cases, Caucasians, Don't dare to slip, coordination's a big part in being part of the correlation, There's a definite raise in probation, As soon as you reach a race and location."

Top $ Raz borrows from Tolstoy for the title of the next track "War & Peace" which features hard hitting pianos (yes that is possible) and drums with a few extras sprinkled in, but the pianos dominate, almost as if they are replacing the position normally held by the drums. Raz wordplay shines on this track as well, whether it is the references to classic 80's and 90's TV and movies (I counted 4 in the 1st verse) or his nerd-like line "New language, uh, All mathematical. Call me square root, cuz I’m radical," as he lets people know he is not a violent person, but if he is pushed expect to be pushed back.

Mic Blaque and Cavalier are featured on the title track "The New Flesh (Au Revior)." The track begins with extended keys, making you feel stretched out as you open your mind and ears to the music and vocals that are coming at you. It is a song about rebirth and refusing to look back, instead look forward or as the chorus says "It's Au Revoir! Peace God, I'm on to the next bar, My phones off and I'm already on Mars, I don't budge, I don't Dodge, New Flesh no room for the old scars."

If you were lulled into security or introspection by the previous track, "THE MAN" pulls you out of that very quickly as the drum and sample hits you hard, I actually move back from my computer each time it comes on, like I am surprised by it, even though I know its coming. It is a must for live shows (and found out it was one of 2 tracks he performs automatically off this album,) in fact I would say it would be a great song to kick off a set as it is almost a showoff song. As Top $ Raz begins the track "I'm Poppa Joe Jackson, I don't give a fraction, I'm what you pay to see like a paralyzed backspin, Welcome to the faction. Let me bring the facts in, You don't want drama, Cuz I bring the action-ask 'em" hitting each rhyme hard and letting you know that he is "performin' wack rapper mass genocide (HAA-HAA!)" It is easily one of the stand out tracks on the album and probably the best straight forward "rap" song (whatever that means.)

Coole High comes with an incredible instrumental (I think I count about 4 or 5 pianos, that drop in and out, plus some muffled drums) that seems a bit out of place in the typical world of hip hop (because so many MCs would struggle with the sound) but Top $ Raz has no problem spitting on "Get Mine." While the topic of the song is nothing new, (I'm going to get done what I need to and you cannot stop me) the beat and lyrics make it something totally different from what you normally hear on such a track, easily my favorite line comes early "Royal like the Tenenbaums," in my book if you reference a Wes Anderson movie, you automatically kill a track lyrically (assuming you have any skill) and Raz keeps going on the track just as ill as that line.

More pianos begin "Better Days" (the whole album uses pianos beautifully, something that isn't often the case.) Raz talks to his younger self on this track as he tells himself to keep going, that there will be better days ahead, even if he feels he has seen better days in the past. He encourages himself while debating the value of what he's done, it is a great job of showing inner dialogue without seeming fake, "so here's my wishes, go out and take it, ok I graduated, I made it, well that's to be debated."

"Golden" begins with a piano solo that would fit perfectly on an Alicia Keys album (that is a good thing if you are wondering,) then Raz swithes up his flow to match the slower softer music and offers a great glimpse into the mind of the MC "See I’m still here, so I guess I’m doing fine, I’m trynna build mountains, My intelligent design, My literary mind, Drop bombs that’ll blow, Like they literally mines. The shit is so divine, So if I ever die, Bury me with beats." I wouldn't be surprised to see this tattooed on someone in the future, possibly the best lyrics of the album.

Struggle builds character, that's what they say right? On "nothing" that is exactly what Raz proves to us, as he says in the chorus "Now I’m thinking bout the times we had nothing. Nothing!…But that’s right now, you see I live for the moment, Sound good don’t it? Don’t it? Now hands up if you want it!" While he might not have had anything it forced him to live his life in the moment, for now and let us be honest, that is how we all say we want to live but how many of us actually do that, hopefully you are one, if not do your best do that (ok I am done preaching now.)

Hey, you're still reading this...good, I'd apologize for the length but then that means I feel I didn't say relevant things about the album which damn it I did. "The New Flesh" takes you on a trip with Top $ Raz as your tour guide, as I said I routinely found myself getting wrapped up in this album and sucked in. That's what music should do, suck you in and make you pay attention to what is being said, should teach you something either about yourself, the world, or the artist. I might be sounding overly dramatic but I feel "The New Flesh" does all three of those. If you do not believe me, then maybe you should listen to the album again and pay attention, open your mind and ears and notice what is going on.

Stream and download the album here.