An excellent collection of unfalteringly warm and expressive hip-hop soul cuts that also has a savory protest-music fell to it that neatly ties everything together. Standout pieces include a sunlit, island soul number called “Run Away, a nostalgic rhyme piece called “Work In Progress” that doesn’t shy from recalling bitter memories along with the sweet, the beautifully chill lead single “Shine Your Light“, an electric-poetic sketch called “Never Lie To You” (featuring Chicago rap god Common and a finely chopped sample from Herbie Hancock), and my personal favorite, a sharply honest -and funny – study in crossed signals and catching feelings called “Pimp Down”.
@the12block