This project comes out of struggle and passion meaning what you are about to hear will be honest, authentic, and lyrically interesting. So pay attention and don’t sleep on this one…literally.
Bottom Line this project will be about you, the listener, finding what makes you stay up all night to see come to life. Whether that be starting a company, creating art, or playing a sport, it could be a million things but the important thing is that you find it. Hopefully this album stirs something in you to think deeper about who you are and encourages you to chase your dreams regardless of the “sleep” you might lose.
Click here to add a video. Click to add lyrics if not listed.
01.
While the City Sleeps (feat. J.C.)
02.
Nightmare (feat. Steve Means)
03.
1994 (feat. Foure)
04.
Better Days (feat. JGivens & Anthony Mareo)
05.
There You Are (feat. SPZRKT)
06.
1 Love (feat. Corey Paul & Steve Means)
07.
Wake (feat. Deraj, Derek Minor & Jacque Jordan)
Chasing Destiny| Posted July 17, 2014
Hip hop/rap is one art form that was once unkind and unwelcoming to those who did not fit the mold of what a hip hop artist should look like, in both race and place of origin. Thankfully, over time artists like Arrested Development, Third Bass, Eminem, Digable Planets, Kanye West, Bubba Sparxx and others helped break that mold. Christian music was always more accepting with artists like The Tunnel Rats, KJ-52, dcTalk, Sev Statik and now Andy Mineo. It is still cool to hear that a country boy from Alabama, B. Cooper, is the latest to keep breaking the mold in the Christian hip hop world.
B. Cooper is signed with RMG, and released a free album, Spare Change earlier this year. The Tennessee transplant is staying on the grind with While the City Sleeps, produced by his partner and friend Dirty Rice. This album is very deliberate focused on jumpstarting those who have given up on their dreams.
The title song starts with J.C. singing over piano until the beat kicks in. Danika Jean adds strings to give the song a more dramatic effect. B. Coop spits about fulfilling his dreams while others are basically just resting on their past achievements. "Nightmare" continues in the same vein of going after his calling. He basically uses the failures (or nightmares) as motivation to keep moving forward.
Whenever J. Givens is featured on a song, my excitement level shoots up because he is such a clever lyricist. He doesn't disappoint on "Better Day," and it is cool how he fades his bars in towards the end of B. Coop's bars. Dirty Rice's production is simple, with more a chill drum beat coupled with Joseph Prielozny's slight strumming of the guitar. This is a song of encouragement when life gets you down.
On "1994" Foure's voice gets a pitch change (think DJ. Screw without the slowed down track) on his first verse and he also sings the hook. B. Coop then hits on how he fell in love with hip hop and how he gets his start as an emcee. B. Cooper's love for R&B laced hooks is very evident when listening to his albums. Listen to how Steve Means adds his butter vocals to go along with Corey Paul's passionate flow on the chilled out "1 Love."
Closing Thoughts:
B. Cooper shows that he will go after what he is called to do and he will not be one to look back with the regret of "I should have" or "What if I had done…". "While The City Sleeps" is a blazing autobiographical look into his life and it will surely challenge others to not allow their dreams to lay dormant.
Song to Download Now:
"1 Love" (Get it on iTunes here.)
Greatness On An Album!| Posted October 18, 2014
This album has been out for some time now but it's definitely a project to get. When it first came out there was a ton of buzz surrounding it. I actually got to see Cooper perform one of the songs at a Propaganda, Swoope and J Givens show before the album even came out and it was great live.
The album starts with While The City Sleeps which features J.C. This songs starts with a Kendrick Lamar play on lyrics when J.C. says "no pool full if liquor" This is a very RnB and hip hop type sounding song. This song shows you that you shouldn't sleep on B Cooper at all. It really proves that While The City Sleeps he is up working and grinding to be able to make it.
2nd track is Nightmare featuring Steve Means. It's another Hip Hop track with RnB tones too it. Many tracks have had this sound before but this is one of the better ones.
3rd track is 1994 featuring Foure which was the first single released from the album. I saw Cooper perform this before this album dropped or this was even released as the pre album single. This has another RnB and Hip Hop type sound but it's something you can turn up to. It speaks on how he was as a teen and a little kid listen to Tupac when he shouldn't have been. It also tells the tail of himself grinding and working hard and getting to where he us now.
4th is Better Days with JGivens and Anthony Mareno. This song has a RnB and Jazz type sound. This song speaks on that no matter what happens better days are to come. JGivens gives his fast style as always and the singing is on this track is great.
5th is There You Are with SPZRKT.SPZRKT is a singer signed to STRT TRBL. This is a real turn up raw type sound. This song really talks about that no matter where we are in life that God is there for us. No matter what point in life we are at God is there and always will be. As SPZRKT says "it don't matter where You are, there You are."
6th track is 1 Love. This song features Corey Paul from Houston and Steve Means. This song has a more Rock and Hip Hop type feel. Steve Means gives great vocals to the chorus. Corey Paul gives a really gritty feel to his verse. This song speaks on no matter what God has 1 love for us. He loves us no matter what. It also talks about that we aren't all different as we think we are. As Steve says at the end "We all need it, 1 conditional love."
7th track is Wake which features Deraj, Derek Minor and a female singer Jacque Jordan This song tells us that dreams won't build themselves so wake up and get a move on things. This song also proves that one should never give up on their dreams because if you work hard enough dreams can come true you just have to wake up and make them a reality.
8th is bonus track called Let Go feat Joe Gates. Once again it's a Hip Hop and RnB type banger. This song tells us to let go and let God. No matter what is going on to not try to do things on our own but trust in God and he'll help us.
9th track is a bonus track called Middle Of Nowhere which features Foure. This is a real hip hop and RnB late 90s/early 00s feel. This song shows that we all feel like we are in the Middle Of Nowhere sometimes. It shows that we should give it all in the Middle Of Nowhere. Sometimes we go round and round with tge same problems and during those times we should give it all to God.
Overall this is a great project!
If I had to pick a top 3 they would be:
1. 1994
2. 1 Love
3. Wake.
Production and sound wise my top 3 are:
1. Nightmare
2. 1994
3. There You Are
Overall I give this project a 4.5 out of 5. I suggest if you don't have tho project to go on iTunes or Google Play and cop this ASAP!
to add lyrics if not listed.
