Solid Ground

After missing the chance to get my copy of the new Solid Ground CD in person at the Pyramid Club during End of the Weak Sundays over the last couple of weeks, I finally got it. The group Solid Ground boasts a veteran-length resume which includes extended performances outside the US with EOW while carving out the longest running Hip Hop open mic in NYC. SupaZoo aka Big Zoo drafts fluid sets of Hip Hop vibration with partners Vice Verses and Propanye as The Three Kings. But with his wingman Nonesio (pronounced Nunzio) in Solid Ground they have created The Balance a mature, lyrical, concept-driven soundscape of ideas, that run thru the mind of real emcees. Conceptually it runs down ruff topics and hard paths like on the Long Road, which is tragic tale from slavery to the present day in Hip Hop verse. Prototype One is an extension of this introspective point of view as the rhyme sarcastically glorifies all the negative mind states of a hood mentality. Of course like any good Hip Hop album, there is the well-crafted ode to the cannabis in Lighter. On Ground Groove, a contemporary dance flava is blended with higher grade lyricism than the average car/club banger. A superb cruising tune for those of you with whips, no doubt. Musically the beats flow between thumping head nod tracks to funky, mid-tempo grooves, to reggae-inspired riffs like on Lick Shot and Tip Top Shape to the soulful old time spiritual sound of Long Road plus a subtle 70's film/tv soundtrack qualities. P.H.V. featuring Webafied sums up the perspective you get from Solid Ground. It's Panoramic Hood Vision. A 360 degree viewpoint of the urban environment, or at least a look ahead and a glance back in the past. Duality is explored like a sociological research paper in ill ass rhyme form on Wants vs Needs and Fisticknifegun two of the albums biggest commercial stand-outs and Hip Hop Classics. Undisputedly, those two songs in particular fall into the category of timeless Hip Hop classic songs once you hear them. The clear precision vocals and compounded hook of WvN illustrates the answer to a basic question that every person has..."What do I want? vs. what do I need?" They ofcourse answer it from the point of view of an emcee. SupaZoo creates a solo masterpiece with Fistickinfegun. Exploring the evolution of violence in modern society, he illustrates a grim reality over a haunting beat of bass, strings and heavy hi-hat which fits the mood perfectly. Respect is shown to pioneers on Relapse where recollection of when Hip Hop came to influence them is spit to a smooth synth beat with a light congo touch and ill synth string that reminds me of some 70's TV show...

" Relapse a moment in time. The divine memories we rewind are the fuel for the grind. Relapse a snapshot in ya mind. A cultures guideline redefined by the freedom of rhyme. "

Some may classify Solid Ground as underground, or conscious, political or whatever but it seems to me their better definitions may be - mc's emcees, throwback to real emcees, lyricist performers, better than 85% of rappers on CD. - Kurt Nice