Review – Amped (116 Clique)

116 Clique, for those of you who don't know, is a hip hop group that is comprised of Reach Records artists. While not a completely individual music group, they have released a few compilations to notable acclaim in the Christian rap world. This acclaim is not unjustified, as they manage to churn out exquisite rap tracks that rise above the usual muck in the mainstream market. Amped takes a noticeable departure from the usual generated-beat focussed rap to include more of a rock element, with electric guitars, bass and semi-acoustic drums. A lot of the music on this rather short album or EP can be likened to Toby Mac, although there is more hardcore rap than the latter implements.

Track Listing:

1. Send Me/Represent (Lecrae)
   
2. Red Revolution (Tedashii ft. Sho Baraka)
   
3. Beyond Belief (Lecrae)
   
4. Cash Or Christ/Fanatics (Trip Lee ft. Lecrae)
   
5. No More (Tedashii)
   
6. Amped (Trip Lee)
   

I've been ever so slightly apprehensive about the rap-rock genre. Ever since Linkin Park burst onto the scene with their albums Hybrid Theory and Meteora, youngsters everywhere have been grabbing guitars and attempting to sound like black guys (no racism there, black guys are better at rap than white guys). The thing is, though, that rap-rock, or nu-metal as some people like to call it, requires a very fine balance of the two styles. There must not be too much of a rock influence, nor there too much rap. Most of the bands that have successfully experimented with rap-rock (Linkin Park, Korn, etc.) have managed to find that balance. Sadly, these bands are a very small minority. 116 Clique has somehow laid rock instrumentation on top of a hip hop base, so that it sounds like a hip hop album but with a different flavour. Most rap-rock albums incorporate singing at some point, but this is non-existent on Amped. So essentially you've got Flo-Rida style vocals on top of a full rock band, something that would not normally work but does on this album. The opening track "Send Me/Represent" has heavily distorted guitars and a constant groove on the drums, yet is primarily a hip hop track. It is one of the unusual amalgamations I have heard in some time, but is surprisingly pleasing on the ear. Red Revolution continues the mood, as with multi-layered drums and rousing choruses making for a great alternative to 50 Cent. The remaining four tracks are extremely similar, but do not make the album sound monotonous. There is a significant variety in the different artists' voices to ensure that the listener is kept guessing, where Trip Lee's voice is somewhat piercing, Lecrae's voice is deep and powerful.

Hip hop music generally doesn't offer much in the way of musical complexity. More often than not, someone will sit at a mixing board or something similar and pump out repetitive beats, while someone else is assigned the job of atmospheric noise or some sort of melody to accompany the vocals. As has been mentioned before, though, the rap-rock of this album employs (mostly) live instruments, and thus there is a platform on which the effectiveness of the instrumentation can be judged. The guitars are extremely distorted in all the songs, accompanying the bass and the drums in the hard-and-tough approach which is needed for rap rock. This is evident in "Send Me/Represent" (O.K., I'm repeating myself, but seriously, check out the song), where there is a dirty timbre to the instrumentation underneath a melodic keyboard layer. The other tracks are pretty much in the same musical vein. Bass sounds extremely rich, while the beats that have been incorporated into the tracks are a step above your average hip hop beats.

The lyrics are where this EP really shines. Secular rap and hip hop music have very sexualised and violent lyrics (see 50 Cent, Flo Rida, Akon, Eminem, etc.) that can be and are extremely offensive. The lyrics of these songs are very inspirational and encouraging, to say the least. "Send Me/Represent" speaks about being sent by God to do his work, with repetitive vocals rapping "Send Me" in the chorus. "Cash Or Christ/Fanatics" questions our materialistic motivations as opposed to living for Christ, and the former is a hot topic among Christians today. It is extremely refreshing to see a (primarily) rap record delve into clean, philosophical views on life and Christianity. I would pick this over mainstream rap any day, and not just because I am a Christian.

I'm not going to lie to you; this is not EVERYONE's cup of tea. More conservative Christians may find the central use of rapping offensive, but then again beauty is in the eye of the beholder, no? The division of rap and rock on these songs is certainly quite unusual, but works well on these tracks. I'm impressed with all the vocalists and producers on this album, who really manage to create an ideal listening atmosphere. This album is highly recommended for any fan of rap, Christian or otherwise. Listen to it, admire the rap, and maybe, just maybe, you'll become a rock convert.

Rating:

4.5/5