Rhythm and Poetry

Description

Rhythm and Poetry is the third full-length album by the American hip-hop artist Stephen Wiley, released on StarSong Records in 1990, distributed by Sparrow/StarSong. The album was produced, recorded, and mixed by Bret Teegarden at Duckworth Studios in Nashville, Tennessee. Arranging, drum and keyboard programming by Joe Hogue. Featuring “Peace”, a duet with Reneé Garcia, as well as guest appearances by Greg X Volz, Rex Carroll, Todd Collins, Tommy Sims, Vickie Hampton, Kim Fleming and Dan Keen.

To give credit where it is due, Stephen Wiley might have never been the best of sanctified rhyme-sayers during his Brentwood tenure, but he was among the first. Now signed to Star Song, with a rise in budget and production values, Wiley is now vying to be the best at the pop/rap sub-genre that has brought him widespread recognition. Happily, the improvements are not mere surface spackling.

The man has sharpened his M.C.’ing technique and no longer is awash in embarrassing lack of verbal finesse. Rakim nor K-Solo he ain’t, but our man Wiley is smoother than ever. Nor is the humor as forced as before, making his solidly scripture-based couplets hardly the didactic tirades they once seemed. Especially deft are the plea for racism’s cessation in «Colorblind» and the fast-food metaphor or «Soul-food», also possessed of a sly gospel-funk wallop.

If that is the most original groove here, chief musical collaborator Joe Hague has left few musical bases uncovered. A reworking of Mylon LeFevre’s «Love God, Hate Sin» has mid-’80s metal/hip-hop feel thanks to the guitar flash of Whitecross‘ Rex Carroll. «On the Devil’s Case» refines old school breakdanceable electro-boogie to good effect, and «Fight to the Finish» is credible crossover house ala D-Mob.

Best shot at Christian and secular pop and urban formats is a duet with Renee Garcia on «Peace», but the whole thing, if properly handed, could bring “our” rap more credibility than anybody since P.I.D. And that’s good to go. [Jamie Lee Rake, CCM, October 1990]

CD tracklist:

01. Attitude
02. Colorblind
03. Fight to the Finish (feat. 3-D: Todd Collins, Chris & Joe Hogue)
04. Love God Hate Sin
05. On The Devil’s Case
06. Peace (feat. Reneé Garcia)
07. Soulfood
08. Teenage Mutant Youth Group Member
09. You’re My All

Note: Simultaneously released on cassette and CD by StarSong Records.

“Attitude” (MUSIC VIDEO)