By Allen S. Gordon, Murder Dog Magazine
There is a new lane in Hip Hop music that isn't really new at all. When veteran MCs like Ice Cube, Nas, Tajai or Paris make records these days, there is a level of wisdom and maturity that comes through their music while maintaining all of its entertainment value.
PARIS' latest offering, Acid Reflex, is pure hard-hitting Bay Area funk hop, with poignant lyrics that serve for great listening and cater to California car culture. Acid Reflex bumps like any great gangsta album, without being ignorant or celebratory of wanton violence for entertainment. Addressing so many societal ills would seem like a daunting task for most MCs, but to PARIS this is regular dialog which makes songs like "So What." PARIS cleverly weaves a tale about how oppression beats down the moral compass of inner-city Blacks and breeds apathy that has now become ghetto chic.
A track like "The Trap" is an eloquent and honest take on a plot to enslave the minds and actions of Americans through entertainment, specifically the new brand of gangsta rap that doesn't offer any commentary more so than to perpetuate the mythology of street life. The beat that beats rebellion. Other notable tracks include: "The Hustle," "Rebels Without Applause" and "Winter In America." Acid Reflex is PARIS at his best - the music and lyrics are just impeccable. The best gangsta album that is not gangsta. An album for the people with a clear moral line and standards of excellence.