The Hoodlum’s Testimony

Description

The Hoodlum’s Testimony is the third album by the American hip-hop artist T-Bone, released on Metro One Recordings ‎in 1996. Produced by Chase For Noizemaka productions.

This is the most authentic holy hip-hop since the Crucified‘s Mark Salomon put together ‘Native Son‘ almost five years ago. And for T-Bone, a San Francisco-based Latino rapper who has two previous releases under his belt, ‘Tha Hoodlum’s Testimony’ may be the charm.

What sets this album apart? Let me count the ways…

First, T-Bone’s rap delivery is as wickedly street-wise believable as it is precise, merging complex, inventive rhymes with drop-jaw tempo changes.

Second, the instrumentation flies as close to the excellence of Dr. Dre’s smoove [sic] production (The Chronic) as anything Christian music would dare replicate. It’s about time an album lets its Afro grow out and incorporates groovy, melodic ’70s funk with wah-wah psychedelics, cheesy lounge keyboards and fuzzy, thick bass lines. These sounds are from an artist who’s influenced not by church composers, but by the very best musicians and producers in general market rap.

Finally, ‘Tha Hoodlum’s Testimony’ may be the world’s first rap opera. An unabashed story about T-Bone’s struggle to survive in the rough sections of the Bay Area while pursuing a rap career – and pursuing Christ. And besides an album intro that sounds like James Earl Jones at his most dramatically comical, T-Bone’s stories are compelling – and often chilling.

Listening to an album over and over to “get it” is not a good sign – except in T-Bone’s case. There’s literally so much going on with the lyrics, musical mix and borderline subliminal sound effects that multiple trips through the album’s 15 tracks are not only imperative, they’re enjoyable.

Among the only drawbacks to ‘Tha Hoodlum’s Testimony’ is an almost unavoidable function of the album’s concept: Much of T-Bone’s lyrics rail against all his recent misfortunes and mistreatment. The result, while certainly believable, is sometimes tiresome. A Snoop Doggy Dogg sound-alike sees some mic time (check out «Playa Haters Interlude»). And in the song «Keep on Praisin’», T-Bone asks – in reference to the late Tupac Shakur – “Is there anyone left to say ‘Lord, I’m gonna stand in the gap?'” Okay… did Tupac record some edifying outtakes between his arrests and jail term, or what?

Either way, ‘Tha Hoodlum’s Testimony’ is probably the best rap you’ll hear all year – and it’s well worth the listen. [Dave Urbanski, CCM, March 1997]

> iTunes (https://music.apple.com/us/album/tha-hoodlums-testimony/1460045603)

CD tracklist:

01. The Hoodlum’s Intro
02. Straighten It Out
03. Demon Executor
04. Hurt & Pain
05. 09/19/94
06. Tomorrow’s Not Promised
07. Police Call
08. Keep On Praisin’
09. Playa Haters Interlude
10. Kill Tha Lies
11. Puttin’ It Down
12. Mi Familia
13. Growin’ Up
14. Flock Together
15. Ministry vs Industry
16. Organized Rhyme

Note: Simultaneously released on cassette and CD by Metro One Recordings.

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