Out of the many questions which arise in a Hip-Hop conversation, there is one query that never dies. Who’s the most underrated? AZ said it best in 2005 on “Still Alive:” “Who’s the most underrated G Rap, AZ, and Jada.” One of the aforementioned, Kool G Rap, is out to prove that despite the lack of fame, he is still one of the greatest with his release Half a Klip (Chinga Chang / LatchKey). This effort serves as a teaser before his Full Extended Klip album due later this year.
The nine-track EP showcases the veteran of twenty plus years maintaining his gritty storytelling style; while attempting to stay relevant in the game with a more contemporary sound. On the MoSS produced “The Life,” G Rap finds himself caught up between saving his friend, and staying true to the streets. The continuous piano playing in the background along with the thumping bass, is a perfect fit for the dramatic storyline. G Rap does fail to impress with “Turn It Out.” On this track we find G Rap out of his comfort zone attempting to appeal to the make it rain crowd where he brags about his stacks and bottles of bubb. The happy go lucky hook says it all: “Riding to the club / Candy coated on the dubs / We gonna burn out, burn out / We gonna turn it out, turn it out.”
DJ Premier did his thing on the lead single “On The Rise Again” though. Premo laced the track with his trademark scratching along with a sample of pop singer Hailey Duff on the hook. The thought of G Rap and one of the Duff sisters on the same track seems odd, but it stands out as one of the most exceptional tracks on the album due to the superb delivery. G Rap’s former Juice Crew cohort Marley Marl also provides some assistance on “With A Bullet;” which is a more amped remix of “No. 1 With A Bullet” from G Rap’s 1992 release Live And Let Die.
The nine tracks probably are not enough to support his claim of being underrated; especially since some of them only run for about two minutes. However, they do keep you thirsting for more which is probably what G Rap was hoping to do with this one.
Kool G. Rap
“On The Rise Again”
