Rise Up

Zeph & Azeem – Rise Up
Reviewed by Sadie O., 1/29/09
Funky as hell hip hop from The Bay (they’re not going to let you forget that!) All the beats are just nuts, and the raps ain’t shabby neither.
They had to go and put one FCC on track 12, which is the best track. It’s just one – I’d go ahead and play it during Safe Harbor if I was you…
FCCs (single) on tracks 4 and 12. I like 5 and 11 – all tracks are great.
1. 4:22 ***electronic boops intro, then funky downtempo beat with dramatic feel, upful lyrics, bits of reggae singing.
2. 3:58 **bit of Jamaican talk, then uptempo electronic dancehall beat. Switches up midway and turns from hip hop to dancehall vocals.
3. 4:49 ***boomy downtempo groove with sound collage.
4. 3:30 FCC: “asshole” **mambo, baby, yeah! Fun rap.
5. 2:56 ****BIGass beat with Afro-Cuban horns and percussion –sweet!
6. 3:45 ***complex uptempo funk with chorus of the Flip Wilson tagline.
7. 1:04 *guitar strums, then midtempo syncopated funk beat. Short, but one helluva beat…
8. 0:29 stoned Jamaican talking to an audience.
9. 4:52 **syncopated Reggae skank, pretty female singing, autobio rap.
10. 2:48 **lopassed groovy slow beat, glissandos, beat poetry.
11. 3:59 ****!!accordion intro!! Very downtempo drumline with cheerleaders.
12. 4:15 FCC: “motherfucking” *****cool midtempo groove with lots of bass, thoughtful talk and rap about what it means to call yourself a rapper. Some amazing guest voices.
13. 3:00 ***the funkiest beat yet, no question. Subliminal vocal bites, otherwise instrumental.
14. 0:24 Jamaican guy thanks everyone in the club.
15. 7:33 **slow slinky groove, fades out after 3:05. Silence till 3:40 (~3:52 from end) then very slow groove with orchestral elements, spoken recollection of crazy times on tour (on drugs).