You read right. LoDeck, a lyricist and rapper who you’ve probably never heard of, has created an album with some of the most detailed, complex lyrics I’ve heard this side of GZA. Coupled with the gritty, 1970s funk production of Omega One, this duo has created one of the best albums of the year. Omega One cut his teeth working with the well-respected (and well-reviewed by this page) Vast Aire, and he’s turned his attention to a phenomenal underground rapper who is just as comfortable telling hardcore stories as espousing street philosophy. In this regard, he’s like Nas, but he’s less interested in uplifting his race than sharing his world view. On the title track, he tells us “why words sell, dizzy get busy with it;” on “Wipe Out Zone,” he deftly spits tongue twisting verses, firing off deep thoughts faster than the ear can listen (“If words could kill/If carbon paper ended carbon life”); I could quote him forever. The funky “On a Path,” a spiritual exploration of street life, is a perfect example of LoDeck’s ability to craft deft one-liners: “When you do enough drugs, you do not need meditation,” he says, but without snarl or irony.
With well-placed guest shots by several underground rappers including the great C-Rayz Walz, who also released one of the other best-rap-albums-of-the-year on a collaboration with Kosha Dillz, “Postcards” deserves space on the shelf with greats like Deltron 3000, MF Doom, Blockhead, Cannibal Ox . . . Genius lyrics, deep production, and an album that can’t possibly get boring any time soon. Again, this is one of the best of the year.
BONUS!
From Bootcamp Klick members Helta Skelta’s new and pretty good album, D.I.R.T.,
