8thw1- Love Money and Music

By: R.M. London

((2.25.2008))

On the Deltron3030 record Del the Funkee Homosapien played Nostradamus when he said, "In the year three thousand and thirty everybody wants to be an MC," I wonder if he really meant in the year two thousand and eight? With MILLIONS of myspace rappers, soundclick bedroom MCs, and netcees all battling their way to the top of the very bottom the hip hop world is saturated with tons of mediocre music and wannabe artists who are all starting to sound the same. It is a rare occurence when you can find a new artist who not only pushes the bar and comes at you outside of the box, but one who can put together a complete record that could be considered a playable option when thumbing through your record collection. Recently, I hit the sonic lottery when I came across a Browns Mills, New Jersey MC by the name of 8thw1 and listened to his new album "Love, Money, and Music"-- full of tracks with brutally honest, fun, and lyrical hip hop that's wrapped up in a collection of passionate beats from the likes of Illmind, Nas550, and Manamana.

I hate to make comparisons, but when I first popped on the record and listened to the intro track I immediately thought of one name-- Lupe Fiasco. However, when "A Fool's Lullaby" swooped in and 8thw1 blanketed Illmind's momentous beat, that comparison was thrown right out the window-- I liked this better. I know that might be a total shocker to Fiasco fanatics across the globe, but as the album continued 8thw1 showed that not only could he impress a hip hop head lyrically, but he knew how to make the total package involved in a song come together and sound complete. With songs like "Money," "Runnin," and "Life"-- 8th shows his narrative side by spitting tales of real life stresses like financial debt, chasing dreams, career decisions, and the love for his music.

As the record kept spinning 8thw1 flipped a 180 a showed off his other weapons on songs like "Fresh," a rapidfire rap over Nas550's agressive beat that might "make you look," the quirky party anthem "Drunken Saturday," laced with "Hey Mickey" claps, rolling indie rock basslines, and distorted guitars, and "Posers," where he calls out all the posers in the game who actually think "less is more." As "Love, Money, and Music" came to a hault I did something that hardly ever happens when I stumble across a random record-- played it again. And as the album continues to get spins in my daily rotation there is no doubt in my mind that this isn't the last that we have heard from 8thw1.

Stay tuned.

Favorite Tracks: A Fool's Lullaby, Runnin', Money
What to do (Buy/Try/Frisbee): Buy. This guy 'got next'
Digits: 8.0 // 10