This is something that very few musicians can actually accomplish with their music. Some artists can basically use it and thrive on it to seduce the listener into hearing their music, despite an honest lack of talent. The difference between that however, and Boston's own Akrobatik is that he does have quite a bit of talent. Akrobatik represents everything that is good about hip-hop all balled together into one neat little package. The thought-provoking, imaginative lyrics backed by beats of all different shapes and sizes, an excellent live performance, and actual respect for the history of this great culture (which is something many of these kiddies don't have), are the morals that drive Akrobatik. In 1999, Akrobatik dropped The EP, which features his cultish hit "Internet MCs" which was as unique as it gets when you talk about spittin'. In 2000, Akro released Balance, which was finally a full-length LP fans can dig into. It took four more years until this, Akrobatik's new album The Lost Adats. Akrobatik is slowly proving that he might have what it takes to be a hip-hop legend someday, and this album will concur.
Track List & Rating
1. Moondust (****)
2. Nightfall (*****)
3. U Can't Fuck Wit It (*****)
4. Convo (****)
5. Mental Ass-Whipin' (****)
6. EZ Listening (****)
7. Gothca Movin (****)
8. Sureshot (****)
9. Woman (*****)
10. B-Bump (****)
11. The Fat Shit f/ Mr. Lif (****)
12. Live (****)
13. Ruff Enuff (*****)
"Moondust" is a fitting opener, and serves as a footnote to showcase the skills that Akrobatik emcompasses. Akrobatik wastes no time to spit his mixture of braggadocio and battle rhyming in a trademark old-school style, using a few metaphors and similes to tell his story. The song really has no gimmick or subject matter, and just finds Akrobatik spitting rugged lyrics with a trademark voice and a few scientific lyrics. Fans of emcees like O.C., Canibus, Brother Ali, or Blueprint will easily be "seduced". Listening to this will immediately make you jump up and say "This right here... this is REAL Hip-Hop", then force you to spend your hard-earned paycheck on some Afrocentric clothing.
The first true 5 Star joint comes in the form of "Nightfall". Immediately, the melodic beat serves to freshen up your ears with a seductive, almost transparent mix of saxophones and violins, along with some strange synth-effects that I can't put my finger on. Besides just that, the drum loop and bass gives you something to bob your head at immediately. On here, Akro actually hits us with subject matter, which is basically a nice use of metaphors to describe the dangers of the streets and how it's as dark as it gets, but actually serves as an extended metaphor for Akro to brag about his skills. Basically, when he mentions "Nightfall", he's talking about when he enters the cypher or is about to spit at you. This is a nice little creative dish and I have been returning to it a few times to listen to. It's the kind of things that make me tinkle with enjoyment, like bathing within rosepedals and smelling the morning dew.... .... God Help Me.
The next song is much darker, but serves it's purpose. "U Can't Fuck Wit It" is an aggressive battle rap track which contains absolutely nothing BUT illness. The rhymes used here are intense, and the braggadocio (as he even admits to) is excellent and sometimes makes you think he IS as ill as he claims, and he is. Beat-wise is where the song stands-out. The melancholy bassline and drums are dark and menacing, sort of like walking down a dark hallway in the middle of Queens, NY, holding up a sign that says "Rob Me, I'm an Idiot". Yes, it's that ill. Besides that, "Convo" and "Mental Ass-Whipin'" are two more powerful battle tracks, showing that Akrobatik is not afraid to express just how skilled he thinks he is, and I'm sure he can rip up a cypher whenever neccessary.
After a bunch of battle tracks, we return to subject matter on "Woman". A retrospective story told by Akrobatik about a female whom he knew a few years back, as he raps a tale about his ordeals with her and how she was and how he despised her attitude and lack of ambitions. The best way to compare it to would probably be AZ's "Hoe Happy Jackie", as Akro remembers that she was not only a slut, but she was also a gold-digger, yet strangely attracted Akrobatik to him. The song pretty much works well with this subject matter, and Akrobatik's rhymes and sense of humor throughout it works great. Beat-wise, we get another old-school-like beat with a humming bassline and drum loop and some background effects. The beat is sort of simple, yet manages to sound complex, but is definitely great due to it's melody. For the chorus, a KRS-One sample from his BDP days is used and used effectively.
The only guest spot on here is from Perseptionist member Mr. Lif on "The Fat Shit". Mr. Lif spits first, using a bunch of ill similes ranging from video games to television, which aren't used often, but a "geek-emcee" like Mr. Lif does it PERFECTLY, with no flaws. Mr. Lif's lyrics are effective and just plain ill, and his punchlines are memorable. Akrobatik is a bit more aggressive on his rhyming, adapting a bit more of a creative flow sounding as if it were right in the middle of a cypher. To add to the cypher-like feeling is the incredibly simple beat which sounds a LOT as if it were beatboxed, but isn't. The simple, spit-like mouth bass and drums, as well as the background airy effects make it seem like it were, but it's not, and it works. No gimmicky choruses or hooks here folks, just good old-fashioned rhyming.
The album comes to a close with "Ruff Enuff". Thusfar, all of the songs have been uplifting and effective in one way or another, and this is no different. The piano melody here and simple bassline provides what is, in my humble opinion, the best beat on this entire freakin CD. Akrobatik proceeds to lyrically show us why he "Dominates the Earth like Poverty and Hunger", with a "flow so dirty when he sleeps he gets muddy sheets". Yeah, the lyrics and punchlines are among the best that Akro had spat not only on this album, but in his whole career. This song is not only fun to listen to and replayable, but damn inspiring and an excellent piece of work.
Akrobatik is one of the most overlooked emcees in the underground. Even hardcore underground fans like Def Jukies and fans of Rhyme Sayers would even forget that there is an emcee out of Boston who's actually good, unlike a certain Source CEO that we all know and hate. Indeed, 2004 has been a slow year for hip-hop, but Akro's The Lost Adats is a seductive and refreshing listen from the underground, and feels as if its right out of 1996, yet is easily one of the best of the year. Anybody who has any experience with emceeing will get an even bigger kick out of this one too, as it seems like Akrobatik made an album catered to the emcees and heads out there, and guess what, I'm one of them.
3.5 Stars... Rounded Up to 4 Stars
This has been a Big D Production, of a Big D Film, Edited by Big D and created by Big D for a Spike-A-Delic Lee Joint...
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