The University News

Issue date: 1/30/06 Section: Culture

Media Credit: Jordan Kerfeld

I'll be honest. There are few rap artists I enjoy and even fewer I can tolerate. I enjoy Mos Def, Talib Kweli, Kanye West and especially Jurassic 5. The rest I find to be a group of uninteresting, inarticulate wordsmiths who employ bland beats and lyrically drown themselves in urban cliche (sex, drugs and violence).

I was not enthused to pick up a press kit CD of a rapper I had never heard of, but I was hoping to get my claws on a diamond in the rough or at least discover something terrible for the sake of harsh criticism.

Though it is not the album of the year, Omni's "Ballyhoo" is actually a good hip-hop album.

I found his rapping style to be in the vein of artists like Jurassic 5, with complex and well-enunciated rhymes. Though the underground L.A. rapper relies on urban cliches, there are many novel and interesting uses of the English language found on the disc: "Turntable destroyer/robotic recorder/number one importer/low-rider supporter/bass heavy and ready/turn me up in the Chevy/take it slow on the corner/lemme holla at Freddy" comes out of Omni's mouth on the rigid but infectious short bit titled "Turntable Destroyer."

Or the guest rhyme by Luckylam P.S.C. on "Trade Mark," which arguably steals the show: "Like the time he try to buy me/find me rhyming with the Army/ finally got us on a track-before we foldin' paper origami/99 percent of [Negroes] in this business never get it/ Guinness Book of how to finish in the top 10 diminished, then/ Replenish what was missin'/ It's the givin'/ It's the livin'/ It's the pimpin'/ It's taken Boyz To Men's livin'/ It's the open invitation for forgivin' all the sin and/ Then prepare to cut the ribbon/ Open up my package grinnin'."

The background music and beats are well-produced but lack inventiveness. The album's opener ("Back at It") begins with a droning, electronic melody that that reminds me of Radiohead's "Kid A." Aside from a few exceptions, most of the backing music is monotonous, and the songs become difficult to distinguish.

In an age of musical creativity and attention to background music-exemplified in Kanye West and Lil Jon's recent work-Omni looks to a stale past. Another issue is the album's identity. In the past decade, cameos have been an accepted element to many hip-hop albums. On "Ballyhoo," Omni invites far too many rappers to join him. Only five songs (out of 15) feature Omni as a solo artist.

Twelve rappers/DJ's poke their heads in the proceedings for the remaining songs, including Sleazy-E, Fatlip and Big Swish. The massive showcase of artists is a turn-off, as the album feels more like a mix-tape than an solo effort.

Aside from these complaints, "Ballyhoo" provides a good listen. Standout tracks on the album are "Coca Cola," "Strangers," "Turntable Destroyer" and "Trade Mark."

Is this rapper Omni-potent? Hardly.

Is this album worth a listen? Definitely.

jkerfeld@unews.com

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