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Knine - Born Again

Release:Born Again
Born Again
MyHHHdb
(what is this?) / 21 users have this
Media:[Audio CD]
Released:2005 [ Listen to HHH from this era on Spotify ]
Recordlabel:Alliant Music Group
Info:Production by Robin Hodge and Tony Stone.
Vocals (Background) by Lisa McClendon and C-Note.
Mastering by Jeffrey Baggett.
Executive Producer and mixing by Marquis Foxx.

1. Bout Time - featuring Torry Issac
2. Brought Me From
3. Dime
4. It Don't Matter
5. Automatic
6. So Glad
7. Never Alone - featuring Salt and Lisa McClendon
8. Doin It
9. Crack Came featuring Lisa McClendon
10. Better Place
11. Switch
12. These Eyes
13. Lazy
14. Dear Cuz
15. I Don't Love You - interview, part 2
16. Work Out Fine
17. In My Shoes
Rating:Our users rated this release: 8.4 out of 10
(Number of votes: 5)   Sign up or login to submit your vote

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Review:Knine is a Milwaukee native that got saved in 1999. He is now the co-owner of Regardless Entertainment -- the label that both of his albums are under. Knine released his sophomore album in August 2005, it is titled "Born Again" and it is jam- packed with talent. Following his first album titled "Regardless," released in 2004 that put him on the map, Knine came out with full force on his encore production. On the cover of "Born Again" is his son Kam wearing Knine's hat and chain and holding his father's cell phone and wearing the same outfit as his father. It is supposed to signify the fact the he has been born again and now he is just like a child in Christ.

Alright now, enough with the background info. Let's get down what you guys really want to hear about -- let's talk about the new album.

First off, the production by producers Tony Stone, Anthony Montgomery and Rob Hodge is impeccable. If the two albums were to go head to head I would say that the lyrical content and the creativity is pretty much equal because Knine is Knine and he is pretty much doing what he always does. But the production took a step up. "Regardless" was entirely self-produced by Knine. Not that he does not have talent as a producer -- he produced four tracks on this CD: "I Don't Love You," "Switch," "Lazy," and a track that I was very impressed with titled "Better Place." However, the production on some of the tracks on "Born Again" are breath-taking. Some of those tracks include "In My Shoes," "It Don't Matter" and "Dime."
This album has everything: funny moments, serious moments, sad moments. The best thing about this album and about this artist is his creativity and the vast array of topics that he chooses to talk about. For example on this album he talks about how life changed in the late 80's when crack began to be pushed in the streets on the track titled "Crack Came." On one of my favorite tracks "Dear Cuz," Knine says that he tried to write a letter to his cousin who is on lock down but Knine can not write it so he puts it in a song. The song pulls your heart strings because it talks about his cousin's kids and his cousin's baby's mother. These are topics that have never been touched on any gospel rap album that I have heard. Then on "Lazy" the man of God talks about how lazy he is and how he knows that God wants to use him but he does not work as hard as he needs to.

There is an obvious distinction in this man of God's style. There are some rappers that talk about one thing such as repentance, or hip-hop, or how hard the streets are, and that is cool for them but I appreciate Knine for his variety. Another thing that I like about his second album is that it does not sound like the first one, although Knine does touch on certain topics again. He talks about how it was back in the day as a kid, and how secular rap is empty and repetitive. But the way Knine presents it in this album makes it fresh and new. Also, this young man threw a little twist in there by having a spoken word poet, Raw Word on two of the tracks. Raw Word does a good job. It is good to have songs that do not have the standard format of 3 verses with a hook in between. This is definitely an album that you can purchase for your unsaved friends and they will develop respect for gospel rappers. One thing that you get when you hear his sophomore album is that Knine is not soft and that he is real -- he says in "Dear Cuz," "I am far from soft." You hear the authenticity of his lyrics throughout the whole album because the songs are hard hitting and you just feel like what you are hearing is legitimate and straight from his heart. In "Brought Me From" He said "I open up my life like a magazine, and write songs about the things I have seen." I appreciate the fact that he does that because he really ministers to people that have gone or are currently going through the things that he has gone through.

One of the things that I have seen some people shake their heads at about "Born Again" is that Knine says the "n" word in "In My Shoes," and he uses the street term for whore in "Bout Time." There are Christians that feel comfortable saying those words and there are some that are not. I think that it should be the personal opinion and conviction of each individual and it does not take away from the excellence of the album.

The Milwaukee native was aided in his effort by great voices from Lisa McClendon, Torey Issac and C-Note. Also Salt is featured on "Never Alone." Other standout tracks are "These Eyes" and "Doin It." I believe all gospel hip hop fans definitely have to pick up this CD; it promises to be a delight to anyone who listens.

DV's comments: Knine is the most talented emcee I have heard in Christian rap -- and I've heard a lot of them over the past few years I've run Altared Lives Radio. His delivery seems unassuming, but you're will find yourself mysteriously drawn into the scenes that he describes and the stories that he weaves. Sometimes you'll laugh, sometimes you'll want to cry. You will see what he's seen, and experience what he's experienced. This is evidence of a truly gifted lyricist, storyteller and communicator. Knine keeps your interest from start to finish, and his rhymes never seem trite or old. I love the personality that shines through this artist, and you can tell that he is a thinker and philosopher of sorts. Intelligent, unique and creative are three words that describe Knine. I had to make these few comments because I've been impressed with Knine since I first heard him on some earlier mixtapes.

Reviewed by Jonathan A.
source: Altaredlives.org, added: Jul 12, 2006

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