Zubz - Cochlea - One Last Letta

[the panic!]

props to the cat, too, for unflinchingly holding up the torch for hip-hop with something to say in the mainstream. he's definitely a trailblazer.

[rob_one]

Been bumping it for a couple of days.

Zubz's best work has and probably always will be his last album, which was magnificent and challenging. This takes the spaced-out aesthetic of that album and removes some of the good bits - it's not bad, just not as good as it could have been.

I disagree with Panic that Zubz isn't a good MC. He is, and occasionally he is stratospheric. His rapping on Cochlea is testament to this. It's experimental and varied, both in flow and lyrics.

There are some phenomenal moments on the album - 'Different Life', 'Part Time Lover', 'Drowning' - which really stretch emotions with phenomenal beats and dope verses. But there are also tracks here which frustrate. 'Traditional Her', 'Lost' and the irritating 'Smoke Screen Bounce'. Zubz is guilty of disappearing up his own arse every so often, and the two-title-per-song thing doesn't help. It's just annoying.

That said, this joint is eminently bumpable. Not a cla**ic, but it's dope nonetheless.

[the panic!]

^infinitely better than a silent [SMACK].

points taken, homie. will give it a few more spins and check out the tracks noted.

does AG still have reviewers? i find it surprising that there's very little discussion of SA hip-hop on the site. at a time when cats are releasing more than ever. and its interesting, different stuff, that's being put out, too.

would be interesting to get cats' views on not just underground releases.

[rob_one]

One of the reasons I like Zubz (and get irritated by so much African hip-hop) is because he's not afraid to tackle concepts in his raps. He goes big. Don't get me wrong, I'm all for battle tracks and dope punchlines over sick beats - which a lot of Mzansi MCs do really well - but not all the time.

Take the Papercutt mixtape or the NASA album or any mixtape released recently. Most of it is just half-arsed raps over fly beats. Fine, in its own way, but where's the guts? Where, oh bloody bloody WHERE is the political rap? I wanna see rappers going for the guts of the ANC/DA/IFP/COPE/Whomever.

[the panic!]

One of the reasons I like Zubz (and get irritated by so much African hip-hop) is because he's not afraid to tackle concepts in his raps. He goes big. Don't get me wrong, I'm all for battle tracks and dope punchlines over sick beats - which a lot of Mzansi MCs do really well - but not all the time.

Take the Papercutt mixtape or the NASA album or any mixtape released recently. Most of it is just half-arsed raps over fly beats. Fine, in its own way, but where's the guts? Where, oh bloody bloody WHERE is the political rap? I wanna see rappers going for the guts of the ANC/DA/IFP/COPE/Whomever.

i get what you mean, bro. actually haven't heard that N.A.S.A yet (will burn tonight). i count Zubz amongst the few semi-commercial emcees that are unapologetically personal and political in their work. Zuluboy and Tuks are others.

[TATEguru v.2K9]

Zubz - A Time to Heal (remix) f. Nombongo

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el Presidente

[TATEguru v.2K9]

If you are in the US or know someone in the US who might be interested in getting a copy of this tell em to email me thehiphocalypse@yahoo.com I've got copies to move.

el presidente

[watziznehmegin]

Thanks Tate! You know I gotta get mine...

[Hip Hop Fan]

got my copy yesterday! interesting beat selection - Tag Team are the ish!!!

[MrC The Rap God Almighty]

Cool album. Production could have been better. Too "Neptunes" for me.Some nice gems in between though.

Overall i was a little disappointed, especially after Headphone Music. But it's still a very good release. 3.5/5. Maybe even a 4 after a few more listens.