Rapzilla.com Review: Everyday Process - Outtadisworld
Posted March 30, 2010
By Rapzilla,
This review has been reprinted on NRT with permission from Rapzilla.com
You know Da T.R.U.T.H. You know Ambassador. You know Flame. But, Cross Movement records hip-hop duo Everyday Process, comprised of Iz Real and Mac the Doulos, has managed to elude the attention of many listening to Christian hip-hop. They’ve shown up as guests on other artist’s tracks. They even released a full-length debut a couple of years ago, The Process of Illumination and Elimination, that went relatively unnoticed by most who bob their heads and dip their shoulders. Well, with Outtadisworld, you can expect all of that to change for this talented pair.
The album opens with the (robotic) statement, “If we find ourselves with a desire that nothing in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that we were made for another world.” Leave it to a rap group to bring the words of C.S. Lewis into the future. And that is what the theme of this album is all about—the future of Christianity. In an age when Christianity is losing its distinctive perspective, Everyday Process enters the fray and says, “This is not our home. Here’s the plan till then.”
With the thesis of the album having been thoroughly established with the spacey intro track “Invasion,” the duo moves into the first full track, “Alien.” This number is a straight-forward banger—taken to the next level. “Fire” is Everyday Process’ way of putting Timberlands and Girbaud’s on the prophet Jeremiah, talking about fire being shut up in their bones. “New” features a thick, deep beat while also utilizing the futuristic vibe of an accompanying synthesizer. The quick flow on this one will require multiple listens, but once you get it…whoa. Everyday Process brings the gospel message of transformation like many are unable to communicate effectively from the pulpit on any given Sunday. “I Don’t Belong” and “Against The Grain” carry the “sojourning pilgrim” theme forward with decidedly R&B-influenced moods. “Make You Smile” slows things down, which for an Everyday Process project, is a feat in itself. It’s a much-needed respite from the shotgun pace that the rest of the album seems to timeout at. Of course, this slow down is just to prepare you for “Bye Bye,” which picks things back up and threatens to be the best track on the album, talking about the Rapture of Christ’s bride from the earth upon his imminent return.
The only “miss” on the album, in my opinion, is “Freak.” Given that dcTalk covered the same territory of being a Jesus Freak back in 1994, this one seems a bit dated. But, since the theme of the song can manage to transcend time, I’d really have to point to overall delivery on this one. Comparatively speaking, this track is not up to snuff with the rest of the album.
One of the things that sets this album apart from their previous effort is the fact they have virtually no guest spots on the album. Whereas their first project featured guest appearances from Lecrae, Ambassador, Phanatik, Trip Lee, Flame, R-Swift, La ‘Tia, Badia Jeter, J.R., and Keran, this time around the duo has chosen to stand and deliver on their own. Those who are all about collaborations might frown on this move, but as a duo that is still trying to establish itself in the ears of the Christian hip-hopper, it makes a lot of sense.
The most difficult thing about this album is that it is so difficult to pin down. Some might call it east coast. Some might consider it a mix of Midwest and east coast. But, it’s not like Everyday Process jumps styles like so many other artists these days. I guess the best moniker I could give their sound is “Signature Future Rap.” Their sound really is quite “out there” in terms of everything I could compare it to. They may be a little ahead of their time. Like Joss Whedon’s Firefly. Let’s just hope the fans treat them better than Fox treats television shows that defy description.
It is nice to know that while some are bringing the name of Christ into ill-repute with their “conversations” and abdicating of Christ-like morality, there are those out there who are willing to remind us that we are “not of this world.” I believe Everyday Process accomplishes this in spades. This is a message that needs to be shouted from the rooftops, reminding believers that while we live “in” the culture, we are not “of” the culture and should not be conformed to the patterns of this world. And, even if you don’t like the message preached here, you can’t sleep on their sound that is “outtadisworld,” light-years ahead of what others in the genre are doing right now.
Review by C.E. Moore. View All Music And Book Reviews By Rapzilla | View Rapzilla's Profile
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