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| Release: | Life Or Death |
|  | | MyHHHdb | |
| Media: | [Audio CD] | | Released: | 2001 [ Listen to HHH from this era on Spotify ] |
| Recordlabel: | Phat Boy Recordings |
| Info: | 1. Life or Death (intro)
2. Man of God
3. I'm God
4. Should I Go On - featuring Non Chalant
5. Nice Guys
6. No Blood Thicka
7. Turn Your Love Around
8. Battle In The Basement (freestyle)
9. 30 Seconds
10. WAR (interlude)
11. No Weapon - featuring Ann Nesby
12. WAR
13. Tribulation
14. Listen To Dis
15. Calvary
16. Last Call
17. Death Row
18. Happy (bonus track) |
| Rating: | Our users rated this release: 6 out of 10
(Number of votes: 1) Sign up or login to submit your vote |
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| | Review: | Dig into the first lines of Ezra and you’ll see that God
stirred up the spirit of King Cyrus of Persia to proclaim
His word throughout the land. Remarkably, until that time,
King Cyrus was not a follower of God.
King Cyz CDAnd so it is today that hip hop’s King Cyz leans
on the record of Ezra 1:1 for inspiration, but with an
important difference, for he has been walking with Jesus
Christ since the age of five.
King Cyz, aka Cyrus Alexander, brings the Good News by way
of a royal suite of diverse beats and rhymes on his debut
project on NuVybe Records. Throughout the generous helping
of 18 tracks, Cyz starkly, frankly, and bluntly states the
consequences of the choices he describes to all who will nod
their heads with him: Life or Death.
The approach here is predominantly East Coast, with some
notable dirty South exceptions. Cyz works with experienced
producer Herb Middleton who tracks much of the album
(Brownstone, Mary J. Blige, 4Kast, Kelly Price). The result
is a nicely-blazed, near-jeepy and organic vibe that Cyz
uses as a base from which to explode his deep, earnest and
fast-paced delivery.
The self-declaration cut “Man of God” uses some innovative
and triumphant trumpet/orchestral samples, with the equally
street “I’m God” on a similar flow. Several other pieces on
the album follow these standards.
“Listen to Dis” will be much loved by serious hip hop
appreciators, as will the blazing “Death Row” and the
evangelical “30 Seconds”.
King CyzSpecial mention goes to the freestyle “Battle In the
Basement” where Nonsense plays the role of a secular rapper
in hot dual with King Cyz. Guess who wins?
Outside quality emcees kick in on other tracks too,
including the heads-up and melodic “Should I Go On” which
features the contrasting flow style of Non Chalant. Skeez
gets introduced on “No Blood Thicker” with a back-and-forth
dramatic battle of spiritual warfare between Satan and
Cyz.
Chiller vibes come with “Turn Your Love Around” with The
Grooves Family supporting with smoothish backing vocals.
“Calvary” with Terry Aikerson producing relies on some
mid-tempo guitar samples for effectiveness.
Powerhouse vocalist Ann Nesby from Sounds of Blackness fame
appears on two songs, both which merit attention beyond the
world of hip hop. “No Weapon” is a fast-paced killer with a
speeding, drip-sampled track behind Cyz’s rap and Nesby’s
victory riffs. On the bonus track “Happy”, the flow is
slightly slower as Nesby takes charge of this radio-friendly
gem.
Bringing the Good News to all can be done in so many ways.
King Cyz has latched onto one of them, ministering Life to
his subjects in the land where tight beats and rhyming
lyricism reign supreme. | | source: GospelFlava.com, added: May 14, 2006 |  |
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