Big John- The Next Step

By: Textbook

((1.29.2008))

White guy from Washington with a lame MC name and terrible cover art releases album with track titles like 'Down With Us' and 'How We Do.'Â But wait, come back! BJ's debut was co-signed by Kool Keith and this sophomore set is endorsed by Canibus and Kool G Rap. Kid's gotta be doing something right to be piling on these high profile thumbs-ups but what is it?

Well first of all he's a hard worker. He's done two LPs in less than a year and weathered the suicide of production partner Clockwork. He hustled the internet for beats, securing tracks from Germany, Italy, South Korea and more. So how are the results? There's an inital bad impression with a weak Intro track where John's three-syllable flow proves hugely irritating but fortunately it's not something he ever does again and from there on in this record is solid. It's no wonder he's turning the heads of the big boys- with a lick of paint, The Next Step would be what mainstream hip-hop these days should sound like.

Big John doesn't rap about his chain and shoes, but he's not on some "metaphysical umbillical syllables" shit either, despite the Canibus partnership. He actually reminds me a lot of Ghostface Killah- his style is rapid, urgent, hungry, at the top of his lungs. He usually talks violent smack but he adds a pinch of sincerity and emotion, making him more than a caricature. His production choices favour what traditionally works in hip-hop, but they're not characterless, having little touches of flavour that make them rewarding listens.

Just give 'Three Kings' a spin. With an excellent track draped in moody strings from South Korea's Loptomist, an amped-up hook, a feature from Kool G Rap and a head-spinning verse from RA The Rugged Man, this is a monster track that begs to be put on repeat. Loptomist keeps the goodies coming with the subtle Spanish guitar solo that runs through the danceable title track which would make a good single. For wilding out you can't go past 'Fuck Ya'll's' huge stomping beat from DC The Midi Alien where John goes absolutely ape shit on his enemies, sounding like he's going to explode during the third verse.

He can get a little deep too. On 'Amazing Stories' he talks about his time in juvenile hall while 'Painkillers' is disarmingly honest as he considers his situation of having to hold down a house, a wife and a day job while finding the time/funds to put his albums together:

With DC's haunted, sorrowful production, this is a track to think about your problems to. But he wisely mopes sparingly, spending most of the album trading raw rhymes with his homie Mic Daily (no chump himself) on straight-up hip-hop like 'How We Do.'

Big John is easy to recommend, possessing an easy everyman appeal. He has a few problems- he yells too much, shouts himself out too often etc, but with not a single wack beat and few wack rhymes plus some tight guests, Big John's second album is at worst competent but promising indeed when he's firing on all cylinders. The album feels a little unfinished- several tracks seem too short- but at least there's an absence of filler.

People keep asking how to fix hip-hop, what the next step is. Well Big John's figured out that it's to produce good records funnily enough. Give 'Three Kings 'and 'Fuck Ya'll' a spin for sure and if you like what you hear, cop that.

Favorite Tracks: Three Kings + Fuck Ya'll
What to do (Buy/Frisbee): Buy