By C D REVIEWS BY DANIEL ARCH ULE TA
Consequence, ‘Don’t Quit Your Day Job’ ★★★★ The regular guy-turned-rap superstar motif has made Kanye West a household name. Taking a page from that model, Consequence takes on this guise with flair. It helps that West has personally mentored this budding talent.
Growing up in the hood gave Consequence plenty to rap about. Experiences that included his uncle crashing at his house or struggling to keep his mom happy by keeping a job while striving to ignite a career in hip hop became fodder for his stylistic delivery. Some of the topics on this album are decidedly down and dirty, yet the ribald nature of the subject matter is masked ingeniously by Consequence’s easy-going take on the world. He jumps seamlessly from stories of female exploitation to the search for eternal love as if his life has included a bit of each.
Considering that the likes of John Legend and West grace this effort, it seems that the pedigree is in place for “Cons” — as he likes to be called — to make headway on FM radio and garner extensive MTV airplay. Yet, that hasn’t taken place for this talented lyricist. “Don’t Quit Your Day Job” was released earlier this spring and his single “Callin’ Me” did enjoy a brief period of heavy rotation, but it has yet to translate into commercial success for this Queens, New York native whose connections in the music industry include his cousin, Q-Tip from A Tribe Called Quest.
If the boat doesn’t come around for this talented emcee’s current project, there’s always next time. This is far from his first foray into the industry. He was featured heavily on both of West’s studio collections and first gained notoriety for appearing on Tribe’s “Midnight Marauders,” which was originally released in the heady days of 1993. With a book in the works, Consequence seems endlessly committed to sharing his art with the world. (Sony BMG) Hip hop appears to be heading in every direction at once these days. You have the likes of Calle 13 taking Latino rap to the mainstream and new artists like Lil’ Mama carting it off to grade schools all over the country. Just when you thought that rap has been everywhere, an album like “Ghettoblaster” is unleashed on an unsuspecting world.
Part breakbeat showcase, part Jewish folk explosion, Socalled’s latest effort comes from a fresh point of view. Not since the Beastie Boys made a splash during the late 1980s has a Jew rap auteur made such an impact.
Aside from some deft production work, the fusion of seasoned Jewish performers and underground hip hop makes for a delightful mixing of cultures that one could only accomplish in Canada. It seems that some of the fresh-est ideas in urban music are coming from any place but America, the birthplace of the genre. (JDub Records)
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on June 14, 2007. Read the original PDF.