For some, the desire to create, starts with the seed of curiosity. Followed by the gathering of fragmented ideas into one focus, and then comes the inertia that propels the creative mind to act. The tenuous nature of that creative birthing project, and the love of that laborious journey, brings forth the gift of that creation.
The Labor Of Love release from West Coast Hip Hop Producer Mr. Brady, definitely is a bit of a laborious journey for the listener. In the opening introduction called “Labor Of Love,” he dedicates the release to producers world wide, letting them know that you don’t need a big studio to make it happen. While this is true, what you do need, as a producer, are cohesive elements for the listener to fully experience what your creative project is trying to say.
With songs like “Hard Hittin,” featuring MED & Shawn Jackson and “Work!” Featuring Sene, spouting the tired get Hip Hop rhetoric, Labor Of Love sounds more like contractions lasting 12 hours rather than a loving release. But then songs like “Get Choze” featuring Diamond D & Blu, “Move With The Times” featuring Clame One & Exile, “Everything” with Sha Dula, with their blinding good beats and lyrics, come through the haze of the ring of fire, and the new birth of the creative child is a relief.
Whatever Labor Of Love may lack in some less original material, it does make up in its attempt to produce the creative piece, in spite of the limitations of some of it’s co creators.
-E. Esi Arthur
Comments