As a label, Metro One has served the Christian hip-hop world well. K2S smartly sampled Kansas and worked with The Insyderz, while the phenomenal T-Bone followed his first three albums with a successful appearance on MTV's "The Cut." That these two acts are very different in style is also to the label's credit.
With that in mind, Priesthood, the latest hip-hop act to come from Metro One, already benefits by separating itself from K2S's live band sound and T-Bone's gangsta rap. Mellow and soulful, J-Raw, Papa Semm, and Swift fill Sprinkle Me Luv with laidback rhymes and easygoing melodies that have tons of commercial potential, yet are still creative. Think of the softer moments of 2Pac, Bone Thugs-N-Harmony, or Warren G, but add a relaxed, Christ-centered worldview. "Highlife," for example, is a song which looks at the narrow road as a difficult but rewarding path:
Living life on the daily is a struggle sometimes,
But we gotta take a step and leave it all behind,
Not moving back, but moving forth to better ports,
As God takes us by the hand and leads us on our course.
The trio explores similar themes on tracks such as "U Can't Hide From Luv" and "It Ain't Eazay."
Despite there being much to explore in those themes, Priesthood offers little in the way of variety. This is even more of a problem when they tackle another particular subject. Five tracks alone contain the word "Luv" in the title, and those aren't even the only songs about love.
But aside from needing a thesaurus, these guys know what they are doing, and whether singing or rapping, they do it in perfect harmony. With Jyro Xhan in the producer's chair, they also have the hooks and beats necessary for a very appealing record. Metro One should open a full-fledged hip-hop division. With three accomplished acts under their belt, they clearly have an ear for this stuff.
3.5 tocks
Other coverage for this album
The Phantom Tollbooth 1999Reviewed by Maurice LoftonPriesthood's album is a mix between Bone Thugs-N-Harmony and 2Pac. This style of music has become very popular in recent years, but I believe that the group has not even scratched the surface of their potential yet. The music is very hardcore hip hop but smooth enough to be played with any contemporary gospel artist. It's easy listening enough that it won't beat your head in with hard beats. I…Similar sounding releases
1999K2SBetter Dayz
2001T-BoneThe Boneyard Box Set
1997GritsFactors of the Seven
1996The CMC'sEveryday Death Sentence
2001Tunnel RatsTunnelvision
2005The AmbassadorThe Thesis
