JIN
Jin Presents The Emcee’s Properganda
Draft Records
· Verse of the Ruff Ryder.
Jin first gained prominence when his battle-rap skills earned him a place in New York’s Ruff Ryder crew. Apparently that brush with mainstream success and the lukewarm reaction to his debut left Jin disenfranchised, because he’s re-emerged with a new label, new producer and newfound drive to prove himself.
The Emcee’s Properganda is Jin’s critique of modern hip hop. He establishes credibility early on with "Top 5 (Dead or Alive)," an affectionate breakdown of hip hop history from Cool Herc to Kanye West. The love-in ends there, with the bulk of the tracks taking shots at everything from vacant lyrics and payola scandals to sexualized youth. It comes off more frustrated than angry, though Jin’s lyrics are more about punch-lines than outrage.
Wunderkind producer Golden Child’s beats are effective at capturing the old-school esthetic preached in the rhymes, moving with ease from the James Brown sample on "Mr. Popular" to the chipmunk soul of "Foolish Little Girl," which is impressive considering he was only 15 when the album was recorded.
The bonus DVD is less essential, as sound quality and interface issues make it a chore to get to the prime material – the battles that made Jin famous in the first place. Their inclusion was a nice touch, but as it stands they only hint at the consistency that’s so prominent on Properganda.
JIN PRESENTS THE EMCEE’S PROPERGANDA 3/5
PETER HEMMINGER
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