Posted on 04/29/2008
UK Grime MC Dizzee Rascal, easily the underground genre’s most popular act, has come a long way since his 2003 debut LP, Boy In Da Corner. While that critically acclaimed record achieved moderate commercial success, the American audience found the accessibility of the vastly different rhythms (from traditional Hip Hop) and Dizee’s heavily accented rhyme patterns elusive. With his third and most accessible release to date, Maths + Engligh, Dizzee gets help from the independent label powerhouse Definitive Jux to introduce this previously released (in the UK) record to the American public.

The LP gets off to a subdued start with “World Outside”, a somber head-nodding track that finds the typically rambunctious MC in an introspective mood. The song feels personal and intimate and the production pairs excellently with Dizzee’s earnest vocals. The following track, “Sirens”, is more Dizzee’s typical fare with raucous guitars and hard drums backing his tales of robbery, crime and disarray. “Where Da G’s” links Dizzee with American MCs UGK (Bun B and the late Pimp C) to great effect. On paper, this should not work as well as it does but this is a match made in audio heaven. Dizzee’s hook is a strong highlight and UGK delivers some of their typically strong rhymes.

The LP shifts gears with the track “Suk My D*ck”, an almost unnecessary rant from Dizzee and his disdain for criticism toward him and his music. The production, while interesting, does not make up for the somewhat moronic and lewd content. However, this is more of what Dizzee is known for – rude boy lyrics over beats that won’t immediately capture the ear on first listen. Things get back to as normal as possible with “Bubbles”, a straight-ahead track that finds our star in a bragging way. The track sounds perfect for a club setting and seems perfect for a video treatment – that is, if Dizzee cares at all about snagging new fans to his sound. The album closes with Def Jux label head and producer El-P’s remix of “Where Da G’s”, which is just a slight (but still enjoyable) improvement over the original. In all, Dizzee has delivered a very solid piece of work that, in a fair world, should turn into more than just accolades from music journalists. This album deserves as much in sales as it does press coverage.

-- D.L. Chandler