Review – Tunnel Rats ‘The Tunnel Rats’

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They say that the third time is the charm. The self-titled release marks the third time out for the Tunnel Rats as a hip hop collective. Certainly there are some charms to the CD, with beats spanning from old school effects to futuristic, synth-driven tracks and a diversity on the mic like none ever captured. However, it’s important to remember that there’s a dark cloud that fills out every silver lining. First comes the beats. Noticably, Dert has managed to break out of the monotonous compositions from the previous Tunnel Rats efforts, solo and otherwise. It would seem that he’s coming into his own and seems willing to lead the Tunnel Rats onward to the next level. The variety of beats and rhythms truly carries the album, compelling the listener to continue to listen. Then there’s the rhymes. Known for their braggadocio, the Tunnel Rats continue this legacy, filling out over half of the lyric sheets with reminders of who they are and what they’ve accomplished. Included are the rap standards like “don’t mess with us,” “we’re the best,” and various other chest-beating phrases. For a crew that now numbers somewhere around fifteen, they manage to balance their verses well and meld together nicely on the CD. New members Dok (Dokument) and Griffin really step up and shine on their feature tracks “Planet Dok” and “My Name is Griffin” as well as their respective verses throughout. Overall, “The Tunnel Rats” is a pretty entertaining album. It definitely showcases some of the raw talent and potential that is locked up within the group, leaving listeners anxious for solo projects from members. The bottom line is that the Tunnel Rats have a goal and a plan of action. They’ve improved greatly since the release of “Tunnel Vision” (most notably in the music) and they don’t seem to have any notion of stopping any time soon.

Release Date: March 03, 2004

Label: Uprok Records

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Tracklisting:
1. Born Again
2. True Underground
3. What You Got
4. Her Story
5. Let the Light Through
6. Never the Less
7. We Just Roll Deep
8. Planet Dok
9. Disposable
10. Misunderstood
11. Typical Tunnel Rat Topic (A)
12. Road to Success
13. Forever Yours
14. Point Taken
15. Slow Your Roll
16. My Name Is Griffin
17. Burn
18. Typical Tunnel Rat Topic (B)
19. Behind Closed Doors
20. Still Standin’

Steven
Steven
Steven is Christian Hip-Hop's Wizard of Oz, breaking more unsigned talent than anyone you know.
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