Posted on 07/31/2008
Every year in Hip Hop, tastemakers scramble to find the “next to blow” acts across the nation – typically attempting to mimic whatever artists are all over radio playlists in major cities and filling dance floors with their respective hit records. There are times where a new act emerges with a sudden buzz – but with little explanation as to why. This is the case with newcomer producer and MC combo Charles Hamilton, Interscope’s latest rap signee. His new mixtape with DJ Green Lantern, Outside Looking In, serves as a focused, but in parts underwhelming introduction to the young MC with seemingly no connection to any of the current popular acts or trends of today.

After a brief intro, things get rolling with “Outside Looking In” and feature the 20-year old musical prodigy in a bragging way. The beat, while lacking complexity, is simple enough for Hamilton’s straightforward delivery to shine just through brightly. Next, the track “Brooklyn Girls” borrows the same minimalist approach popular in many current rap productions, and allows Hamilton’s charismatic rhyme scheme to work. North Carolina super producer 9th Wonder lends his assistance on the song “Don’t Touch Me” – an interesting pairing since it is widely known that Charles Hamilton is fond of the same Fruity Loops production computer program 9th employs. The song is filled with many pop and video game references while Hamilton impresses with his confident, regular guy flow. Following that song, however, the track “Pure Imagination” is audio Nyquil and bores from the onset. Hamilton, posing as some manner of lover, does not exhibit his best side on this clunker of a song.

On “My Wonderful Pink Polo,” Hamilton redeems himself on perhaps the CD’s best production – which samples the voice of another heralded producer/MC - Kanye West. Hamilton appeals to the listener with his charm and earnest delivery, although the focus (if there ever was one) of the song never materializes. “In Front Of You” showcases Hamilton with an odd effect on his vocals that actually enhances his performance. The song is more of the same braggadocio from the young MC, which seems to be his preferred lane as of now. That is also what holds the mixtape, and the MC, back: this propensity to aspire to be more but never seeming to achieve it for whatever reason. Charles Hamilton may have everyman appeal like a Lupe Fiasco or Kanye West but he doesn’t have their songwriting abilities of yet – at least as far as what this mix CD highlights. Perhaps on his proper LP debut, Hamilton will show more of the vibrant personality he displays within his blogs on Myspace and the Internet.

- D.L. Chandler