To be fair, much of the problem with Rising Down lies in the production. Riq, Malik B, Dice Raw and the supporting cast came lyrically correct from start to finish, a few menial missteps notwithstanding (“Birthday Girl,” anyone?). Production-wise, it lacks the bite of Things Fall Apart, or even the eccentricity of Phrenology. The music here is mostly claustrophobic, which only enhances the acerbic tone of the album. Thought’s angry phone calls serve to remind us of how hard they worked to get here. We get it. You dudes are angry. The road to rap stardom is littered with broken bottles and shrapnel. Well, so is the road to blog stardom, but you don’t hear me griping. Funny thing is, that’s what made Game Theory my favorite album of 06 — that cautiously confrontational approach. Rising Down, on the other hand, is everything Game Theory isn’t — inexorably extrusive and all over the place. Unless, of course, I’m mistaking the thread for litter.
And what’s up with Kweli only turning in a chorus on “I Will Not Apologize”? It seems to me that they failed to take advantage of his current streak of rewind-worthy execution only to turn around and miscast him on the maudlin “Lost Desire.”
For all its confrontational posturing, though, Rising Down is not devoid of magical moments. I can’t stop playing the aforementioned Fela tribute “I Will Not Apologize,” for instance. The title track ended up being one of my favorite cuts on the album. “Rising Down” should be required listening for all aspiring MCs … folks need to actually memorize all three verses. Thought’s wordplay, Def’s delivery, and P’s scathing commentary all yield a delectable plate of hip-hop gumbo rare in rap collabos these days. With the exception of a couple other joints, the only songs getting the best of my repeat button so far have been the four that leaked prior to official release: “Rising Down,” “Rising Up,” “75 Bars,” and “Get Busy.” As a collection of songs, Rising Down is a solid mix. As an album, it left me unsatisfied. Oh well, there’s always Game Theory.
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