Nelly knocks out the competition
Pairing Nelly’s melodic flow with any hip-hop song will add flavor, but the type of flavor in his album “Brass Knuckles” is beyond anything imaginable. In his 2000 hit, “Country Grammar”, he rapped at phenomenal speeds, making him distinct from other artists. In 2002, he set the roof on fire with his blazing hit “Hot in Herre.” Then again in 2004, he wowed fans with two complete albums, Suit and Sweat, showcasing his diversity as both street-relevant and professional. Audiences love Nelly’s dirty south sound because it adds spice to the entire hip-hop genre. Four years later, he is back and ready to get even dirtier.
In his album “Brass Knuckles,” he stepped it up from the usual dirty south, country feel and broke into a more thug rap style with the song “U Ain’t Him,” featuring Rick Ross. Nelly’s voice is still melodic, but it slowed so his rhymes would be comprehensible. Starting the album with a gangster-sounding song is an obvious foreshadow for what is to come, or so it seems. Nelly breaks all assumptions. Each song turns out to hold a surprise with a collection of different sounds.
Various artists helped Nelly in achieving his newfound sound. Some of the artists on the album include Rick Ross, LL Cool J, Snoop Dogg, Usher, Ciara, and Ashanti. “Brass Knuckles” exhibits Nelly’s versatility as an artist with songs like “LA.” The song catches the listener off guard with its laid-back west coast feel. Anyone familiar with Nelly’s sound and the pride he has for St. Louis wouldn’t expect to hear this song on his album. The song speaks on Los Angeles’ superficial appeal, but also how it is the place to be.
Nelly tries to bring back his smooth flow with the song “Lies” featuring the St. Lunatics. This is one of those songs that will have your head bobbing along with the beat. The catchy chorus sticks in your head like superglue then goes out in a bang when the ending of the song flows into the beginning of the song “Party People” featuring Fergie. This party hit breaks the barriers of any booty bumping hip-hop song by fusing rap, hip-hop, and rock together. Nelly finds his fast paced dirty south sound, but Fergie steals the spot light by rapping faster.
The real shocker of the album, though, is the song “Self-Esteem” featuring Chuck D. The song exerts positivity with the message of being able to overcome any circumstance. The song borders ‘70s funk/hip-hop and will have one feeling good instantly. It is the one song that jumps out of the overall flow of the album.
Despite Nelly’s rough exterior, the songs “Body On Me” featuring Ashanti and “One and Only” deplore a sense of romance and remind listeners that this thug needs love. These songs add a soft sound and tear away from the hard edges of the rest of the album. They break up the monotony of the otherwise hardcore album.
The song “Stepped on my J’z” featuring Jermaine Dupri and Ciara encompasses the generic hip-hop sound. The irritation one gets when their new shoes get stepped on is hilarious. Be careful not to break anything when you find yourself dancing uncontrollably as soon as this song starts.
The end of the album goes back around to the hip-hop thug image. The song “Ucud Getit” featuring Gucci Mane and R.Kelly holds his materialistic image along with a lustful message that’s typical of any hip-hop song. The album isn’t a total flop, as Nelly seems to be reaching out to find a new groove. It is the turning over of a new leaf for the artist as he progresses for a new image. However, in the process there are some hits and some misses, making for a decent, but not amazing, album.
Nelly
Brass Knuckles
Release Date: Sept. 16
Genre: Rap, Hip-hop
Grade: A-
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on Tuesday, September 23rd, 2008 at 12:15 am and is filed under Album Reviews, Arts & Entertainment, Vibe.
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