With all of the controversy Little Brother inadvertently caused recently, it is amazing that, despite 9th Wonder's work on Jay-Z's Black Album and getting signed by Atlantic Records through ABB Records, the mainstream still has not quite found them.
The trio of Big Pooh, Phonte and 9th Wonder have risen to the cusp of mainstream popularity by simply making good music. No additives, no preservatives, no famous guest appearances and no famous guest producers. Just dope beats with rhymes to match-exactly what hip-hop should be. What is refreshing is Little Brother can accomplish this while also displaying a large amount of intelligence.
The Minstrel Show features Little Brother's attack upon mainstream hip-hop and R&B. Just as the actors in the original minstrel shows would dress in blackface and act out stereotypes, too many of today's mainstream artists basically do the same thing. Through criticism, parody, braggadocio and perseverance, Little Brother effectively reveals what its members represent and what the mainstream is, and how different the two can be.
The litmus test for listeners comes in the form of \Cheatin,'"" a hilarious spoof of today's cookie cutter R&B songs that is subtle enough to be overlooked and accepted as legitimate by those who take R&B too seriously. Not until the end of the song does Little Brother make its intentions blatant, and the comedy of the track shows through.
A lack of mainstream respect only serves to fuel the consistently impressive rhymes of Big Pooh and Phonte. For much of the album, the rapping duo makes sure that all are aware of their skills and confidence with clever lines such as ""on some teleprompter shit I got you watching your words."" Of course, as one of the ""conscious"" hip-hop alternatives to bragging about how many times you got shot, Little Brother delves into plenty of thoughtful topics.
""All For You"" is an emotional and introspective look at the rappers' fathers. Pooh and Phonte discuss the troubles that come from desiring a good woman while not yet wanting to settle down in ""Slow It Down"".
Though it is a shame that 9th Wonder's production often takes the attention away from the prowess of Phonte and Big Pooh, there truly is a reason for it. The production throughout the album is consistently great, as a seasoned Little Brother fan would expect. 9th's beats are always soulful and soothing, yet hard-hitting and head-nodding all at the same time. Though it is silly to ignore the skills and messages of the rappers, this is a CD that one can simply play and vibe out to.
Even though far too many rap CDs are prematurely named classics, this is an album that could fit that bill. Little Brother represents all that is good about hip-hop, and those who still don't know must be hiding under a rock, or just above the ground.
