Indie
Reviewed by SSRC
Beats n/a
Rhymes n/a
Overall of
When something works well, it is usually followed up with a sequel because people somewhat demand it and let’s face it, who doesn’t like to monopolize on something successful. DJ Morph started his mixtape series with Beatmart records, “Best Of Submissions” series. It was a compilation series that showcased up and coming artists. It was definitely a success for the label. He put out 3 of these compilations and has now moved on to doing one of his own using both signed and unsigned artists. It has been nice to see his progression and growth as a DJ/Producer. Not only has he improved his own talent and skill, but he is also attracting some of the best artists out there to work with him.
What you notice as you browse the tracklist in this compilation, is that Morph has a wide variety of talent from all corners of the Christian Hip Hop scene. On International, divided sides of the hip hop scene come together and it works. Artists such as theBreax and Braille are right beside Sho Baraka and Rhema Soul. I hope more DJ’s learn from Morph and realize that everyone can come together and make an album that is full of flavor and diversity.
This album starts off on a high note with a bunch of vocal samples talking about mixtapes and what they mean to people. I have always had a soft spot for mixtapes so it had me smiling right off the top. Then the intro slides into a dope beat and has Eddie Nigma drop a hard verse that gets your head nodding. It was a great way to get the listeners attention and generate a desire to hear more. The album keeps building with those heart pounding beats as Sho Baraka jumps on “Glorious”. Sho spends the next 4 minutes talking about Christ and why He is glorious. The wordplay is simple but the song bangs.
Next is theBreax, who keep up with their consistently strong output in the track “Plan Our Work”. If you have never heard theBreax, this is a great introduction because they never cease to showcase their abundant skill. It’s straight up Hip Hop and it’s really good.
The album is packed with collaborations over G-Style beats and some of the standout tracks are “Loose Wit It”, “Let The Record Drop”, “Where You From Part 2” and “Fire”. I won’t talk specifically about all of those tracks but I want to highlight that they feature artists like K-Drama, Rhema Soul, Braille and G-Notes, over some top notch beats by Morph. All of those tracks are definitely worth checking out. I also want to mention that Eddie Nigma, who I had never heard of before, really stood out on this album. I am going to be watching for him in the near future.
DJ Morph did a great job at covering all the different styles that are presented in the current Urban market. He has the southern beats that are dominating the airwaves right now, but he also showcases those head nodders that we all grew up on and the more danceable tracks that dominate the clubs. He does a good job with variety but it is hard to find people who like all of these styles. I know good music is good music but some of the styles on this album fall a bit short. Nothing is really bad but some tracks like “So Worthy” and “Where Can I Go” will find the skip button before the song ends.
It is always very hard to please everyone and DJ Morph took on that task and did a very admirable job. He compiled a top notch cast of emcee’s (with a couple singers) and put them together over his beats. For the most part it worked and my ears thanked me after the album was finished. I was introduced to some new artists that I had never heard before and had my neck nodding to some really good music. DJ Morph has proven that he is consistent and knows good music so if you have enjoyed any of his other releases, you can’t go wrong picking up this release. International is another successful release from a DJ who continues to impress.
For fans of: Frontlynaz, KJ52, G-Notes, Cross Movement