Listen Closely To BlakkBoy Blue(s)

By Mark Corece, in music
Friday, October 12 2007, 1:58PM

Mark Corece Reviews

As a DJ in college and an artist myself, I tend to be extremely critical when it comes to reviewing music. We live in a society that embraces misogyny, homophobia and a myriad of other oppressive forms of expression. So when asked to review Tim'm's new CD, Black Boy Blue(s), I knew I had to listen closely to be just that critical.

BlakkBoy Blue(s) is a true recollection of the essence of hip hop. It resurrects the music that told stories that we could relate to — the ghetto rooted music that uplifted us and helped us get beyond our struggles. With track titles like "Asphalt," "Sleepless," "Man up," and "Positive," this Cincinnati-born, Arkansas-raised artist evokes thought with his subtle lyrics and no-nonsense truths about life.

I must warn you, BlakkBoy Blue(s) doesn't conform to today's "lean with it, rock with it" generation. It has depth, unlike some of the new millennium's bubble gum artists. While listening to the 16 track CD (with 17 and 18 as bonus house tracks), I was brought into the world of a self-identified Black (or Blakk), gay, hip hop artist and poet. His racial identity and sexual orientation is relevant because of the obvious marginalization in today's hetero-normative hip hip community.

Track five, "Tears of Grief," is a bass heavy introspective song about overcoming his grief. It reminds me of a hybridized mixture of Scar Face and The Roots — a combination that screams raw talent. The song features an unknown female vocalist that accompanies Tim'm's metaphoric expression.

The CD continues to spew out messages of social injustice and politics as musical narratives. With heavy influences from 80's and 90's hip hop but with a contemporary spin. BlakkBoy Blue(s) contains tracks "No Change" and "Positive" that cause inevitable head-bobs while appeasing our hunger for tasteful music.

Homosexuality and sexual orientation are also mentioned a few times. Some songs talk about being inclusive to all walks of life including those who are gay. The song "No Change" says "change gone come...but y'all think change is gay." And "Gone" talks about a same-gender-loving relationship that doesn't seem to mesh enough to work. It's a refreshingly new spin on today's hip hop love songs. It didn't feel like the gay issue was forced in any of the songs; it felt like a natural experience.

I did feel that BlakkBoy Blue(s) lacks musical balance. My idea of a great album encompasses multiple musical genres of R&B, hip hop, jazz, and rock. The album is very rap and hip hop heavy. According to Tim'm's myspace page he says, unlike his former album "Songs from Red Dirt," he wanted "to more deliberately produce a Hip Hop Project."

Overall, the message in BlakkBoy Blue(s) is positive, along with banging hip hop to make the ride a whole lot easier. I give the album 4 out of 5 stars for its personal experience made relative. However, the potential musical genre monotony hinders a possibly wider audience.

Mark Corece is the former host of Radio DePaul's Spoken Groove. He is currently a student at DePaul University pursuing a degree in Digital Cinema and Photography.

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