I'm a huge J Live fan, but this EP harks back to All of the Above - it's good but it ain't great. Lyrically very solid, as ever, but apart from The Incredible there's nothing here to really get me stomping and clicking. Hopefully the full album will have some more of J's full potential, a la The Hear After (sadly no longer on eMusic). Well worth a listen, but make sure you've picked up The Best Part and All of the Above first.
Buy this !!!!! J - live kills it as usual. Hip Hop is not dead there are a few jedi left.
If lyrical skills were required for a rapper to turn pro, J-Live would be a first-round draft pick. J-Live is one of the most overlooked but most complete rhymers out there today whose name you'll hear mentioned among Little Brother, SFP, The Procussions, Talib Kweli, Common, Mos Def, etc. Any true hip-hop pupil that hears J-Live, has to be pleased at what they heard.
I know what you're thinking. It's barely December, and everyone is already playing Christmas music. Meanwhile, you're still making turkey sandwiches from the cast-off pieces of your Thanksgiving bird. Similarly, it's barely even gotten cold outside, and people are already making Best Of 2008 lists? What gives, people? Well, that's what we do here — we keep track of the best albums of the year so that you know what hot tips to pass along… more »
