Grip Grand - Brokelore CD |
| DESCRIPTION |
| Returning after a silent nine year hiatus since his limited debut Welcome to Broakland on Bomb Hip Hop in '99, soulful rapper/songwriter Grip Grand drops his brand new album, Brokelore! Growing up with hip hop all his life, the emcee and producer never found it hard to adapt as his family led a nomadic-like lifestyle that took him up and down the West Coast, from LA to Portland...but the artist typically identifies himself with the Bay Area as adulthood grounded him in one place. Featuring a range of diverse styles throughout the album, Grip even manages a little humor as he parodies current commercial gangsta rap sounds dominating the radio. This is probably the real surprise of the week, as Grand is virtually unknown to some and hopes to re-introduce himself with notable guest appearances by Percee P, AG, MF Shalem, DJ Design and more! | |
| TRACK LISTING |
| 1. | Showtime (That's Entertainment) | | 2. | Hip-Hop Classic | | 3. | Win The War | | 4. | Tomorrow | | 5. | Handle That | | 6. | But Anyway | | 7. | Paper Cup (feat. Percee P) | | 8. | Love / Drama | | 9. | A Penny (feat. Richie Cunning) | | 10. | 96 Tears (MF Shalem's Talk About It Mix) | | 11. | Out Of Service | | 12. | Poppin' Pockets Remix (feat. A.G.) | | 13. | Mr. Versatility | | 14. | Remember The Time (feat. Darondo) |
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| CUSTOMER REVIEWS |
How To Live In Brokeland (4.5 Stars), March 26, 2008 By: alanp0099 - See all my reviewsI had never heard about Grip Grand until yesterday. Since then I've spun this album 7 times, bought the CD, and will be following his career from this point on. Simply put, Grip Grand is an extraordinary talent in hip-hop today. Not only is he a very gifted songwriter, he also produces soundscapes on par with some of today's finest beat-makers. Grip Grand is a very soulful & introspective songwriter that shines new light on reflective consciousness. He avoids gimmicks and mainstream trends at every turn and delivers a well-constructed gem that will stand the test of time.
Skip material? You'd be hard pressed to find any weak material on the album. Though I do skip a couple from time to time. "Handle That" is one of them. Though through further listening, it's actually a very clever parody of today's redundant gangsta rap scene. "But Anyway" didn't do much for me, though there isn't anything glaringly bad about it. The standouts definitely trump any notable weak material. The opening cut, "Showtime (That's Entertainment)" is one of my favorites on the disc. One listen to the infectious samples and Grand's clever word-play, and I knew this would be an LP I would dig. My favorite tracks would be the more soulful and reflective tracks, like "Hip-Hop Classic". "Love/Drama" is particularly reflective, and a bit tongue-in-cheek as Grip dissects how "whack" he is. He brings some of his most memorable verses on this joint. The impassioned "A Penny" featuring Richie Cunning is definitely my favorite track here. I swear, I can listen to this track all day long. "Poppin' Pockets Remix" featuring A.G. may just be the most infectious beat on the entire album. "Paper Cup" featuring Percee P is notably dope. Though it's almost entirely produced by Grip Grand himself, DJ Design & DJ MF Shalem (known for his work with Adeem & Adverse) do lend some heat to the mix.
Overall, I can't say enough positives about Grip Grand's sophomore album "Brokelore". He executes his talents beautifully, and definitely deserves the spotlight in 2008. Don't miss out on one of the relatively new talents from the west coast. Definitely one of my favorite albums of the year. Keep on doing what you do Grip Grand. | |
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