Disco de Blackalicious: “Melodica”

The rhymes on this ep are absolutely sick. but unlike some other artists who have similar skills but have slightly annoying delivery (aceyalone, for example), blackalicious exudes a laid-back, arrogant-...-but-skilled-enough-to-back-it-up vibe. Listening to this music is actually exciting-- you're continually wondering what kind of lyrical wizardry is waiting just around the corner.

As far as reference points, think de la soul, except with a bit more attitude and energy, and also wigged out on some kind of bizarre cleverness drug.

Blacalicious (gift of gab and chief excell) really came through with this album. Despite the resources made available to solesides at the time, Blackalicious created a very well produced album. The beats are phat and the gift of gab never ceases to lyricaly blow my cerebral cortex into the outer realms of space.As a huge fan of underground hip-hop I highly recomend this album!

Featuring some of this stellar mc's hungriest work, Melodica remains a focused, well produced, powerhouse rap ep. Gift of Gab has to have the most impressive aresenal of rapid fire syllabic control I have ever heard, although his tone and oft- off kilter tendencies usually rub rap fans wrong. While Gab's overly ambitious verses may alienate the uninvolved, anyone who has ever cared for the art of rhyme should be able to see through the blatantly ambitious raps and cut right down to that essence where the usage of words as an organic microbeat with wit included.