Posted on 04/10/2008

On its latest compilation disc, School of Beats takes you on a thorough walk through hip-hop and jazzy soul production on The Progress Report, Lesson 3. The Washington D.C. producing trio light touch maintains the spotlight despite the clan of rappers featured on the album. The guests hold their own, but the tight production keeps the album afloat even when less than spectacular emcees take over.

 

The embarrassment of velvet rope rejection is given humorous treatment by Freddie Thumps and Ice Da Villain on "Get It In." The final minute of the track becomes a peaceful keyboard-led instrumental, the sound of access to the club reflecting the open gates of heaven. Ice Da Villain gets his proper solo introduction halfway through the album after being the spark for every track he appeared on during the top half. He doesn't disappoint with the eponymous track "Da Villain" where he pledges loyalty to all his associates. Continuing his streak of pithy punch lines, Ice kicks off the verse, "I got a swag that's infection/grab your protection/STD flow/Bastard tested." For the entire album, pretty much anything his lips utter is golden. Big James also makes a memorable, low-key entry with the allegorical "High" likening his lyrical fix to the white stuff. The rest of the crew is less focused, not showcasing any particular narrative style or consistent flow, but rather seems content to play around with the usual hip-hop tropes of cars and gun talk. On occasion, even their gun talk is almost clever: "Speak now or forever hold your peace/I preach Black power, but forever hold my piece," says K-Ruck on "Got Something to Say." As could be expected, this posse track is the most impressive on the album with notable verses from Ice Da Villain and Laelo Hood as he name checks the most recent victims of police violence and charges, "Michael Richards and Don Imus scratching the surface/if we ain't entertaining these crackers, they think we worthless."

 

It would be interesting to hear an instrumental production album from School of Beats, keeping the less notable guests to a minimum. But The Progress Report, Lesson 3 isn't half bad for a collection of songs from unknowns. There's room for growth, but the guys still deserve a quality grade.

 

- Candace L.