Review – Lesun ‘God Fearin’ Rap Music & The MIIC Album’

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It’s one thing for an artist to release a strong debut album, but it’s something else for an artist’s debut to be a double disk release. Well, this is exactly what Cin-city native gives us with his freshman release ‘God Fearin’ Rap Music & The MIIC Album.’ Now, for quite some time in the Cincinnati area, Lesun has been known for his strong production talents, and it’s only been just recently that he decided to pick up the mic and take a shot at emceeing. It was a good choice, and these releases give the reasons why.

How did these projects come about? Well, here’s the story… Lesun was working on his debut album and there were a lot of collaborations, and he noticed that almost all the songs that were going to be on his album featured guest emcees. With that, he decided to put those tracks on an album all their own (‘The MIIC Album’), and then did another album that primarily featured him with very few guest appearances (‘God Fearin’ Rap Music’). That’s how this 2-CD release came about.

Now, when I first got this joint in the mail, I was a bit overwhelmed by the number of tracks that appeared on the track listing; 30+ tracks is a lot of music to be listening to, especially from someone of which I’ve only heard very little. It turns out that there are only about 14 tracks on each CD and that each is filled with various interludes throughout. Upon putting the disk into your player, one of the first things that you’ll immediately notice is the strong flow of this phenomenal up & coming emcee. From the very first track he brings thought provoking lyrics that are rooted deep within his heart. Backing up his beefy lyrics is a solid production base that serves as a backdrop for his words. The first track is “God Fearin’ Rap Music” and serves as the thesis for this album; it is on this track where he boldly proclaims that this album is dedicated to Christ and done with a deep reverence and respect for God Almighty. Each track on the album carries that same theme; it is clearly seen in tracks like “Main Event” where Lesun tells us that it’s all about Jesus Christ because He is the main event.

One of the things that I liked about this album is the sampling that Lesun uses. A favorite of mine is the track “Shonuff” where his hook consists of cuts from the 80’s movie “The Last Dragon” (a personal favorite of mine). Other tracks with stark sampling are “Deep in My Heart” and “1nce in a Lifetime.” Each is done with class and adds value to the track, as well as the album as a whole. Now, given that this is a heavily underground album, Lesun still brings it with softer tracks like “Round & Round” where he speaks about various things in his life, and how he needs to stop his old ways and look towards God for change. And after showing that side, he’s even able to just relax and have fun with “Right Foot First” which is just a fun loving track that gets people out on the dance floor.

What about ‘The MIIC Album’? This album is basically an extension of what we find on ‘God Fearin’ Rap Music’, except that this disk is chock full of guest emcees. The theme is still the same: creating music that is uplifting to God and is done out of reverence for His holy power. Some of the guests that appear on this album are K-Drama, Eckspress, Kenny Mathis, Soulja-K, and J-Reign just to name a few. Some of the stronger joints on this disk are “Love You” featuring K-Drama, “Let It Go” featuring J-Reign, and “Stomp on the Devil” featuring Soulja-K.

What’s good about this release? The lyricism is some of the best I’ve heard, especially considering that this cat is new to the mic. The lyrics hit hard and are spit with fervor. The production is on point; each track is well-crafted and fits the subject matter of the song. Lesun is definitely a good producer, although he has a few rough edges to smooth out before he becomes stellar. There were only a few downfalls with this album, but one of them was a major downer: the sound quality. Now, I was given a brief letter concerning the circumstances, and they’re understood, but for a musical release, the sound quality isn’t that great (but it can be easily overlooked). Secondly, I think there were far too many interludes and that took away from the music at points throughout the album. And finally, there were just a few areas where the mixing could’ve been cleaned up. With all of that taken into consideration, this is a strong project from a new emcee. I look forward to hearing more from Lesun because this brother definitely has talent. Pick up this album; it’s worth a listen because it is one of those that will grow on you as time goes by.

Tracklist:
1. GFRM (Intro)
2. Reborn (feat. Soulja-K & Lindsey Orr)
3. Phone Message 27
4. Main Event
5. Drownin (feat. Homaje)
6. Deep in my Heart (feat. Soulja-K & Lindsey Orr)
7. Live at the Gospel Grille
8. We Ain’t
9. Once in a Lifetime
10. Round & Round
11. Power Remix (feat. J-Reign)
12. WhatSheSaying?
13. Shonuff (It Don’t Matter)
14. ILuvUSooooMuchRightNow (feat. Kenny Mathis)
15. Have Your Way
16. More Than Music
17. Thank You
18. Run & Hide (feat. Bracey)
19. There for Me – featuring Simple Faith

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