WilsonBlock1000 Radio

Kembe X Gets Personal & Explores New Sounds on Hippie Sabotage-Produced “Sleep Paralysis” (Album Review)

by -

Chicago, Illinois emcee & Top Dawg Entertainment affiliate Kembe X returning for his 3rd full-length album produced by Sacramento duo Hippie Sabotage & his first in nearly 5 years. Getting his start over a decade ago with the debut EP Soundtrack II Armageddon & the debut mixtape Self Rule, his profile would continue to grow off the strength of the debut LP Talk Back as well as an eponymously titled 2nd EP & the sophomore effort I Was Depressed Until I Made This. He’s worked with the Saurer brothers a few times in the past, but they’re finally releasing Sleep Paralysis after working on it for a whole year.

“Fade the Sun” starts us off with a lively danceable opener telling anyone who wants a piece of him to get in line whereas “Pole Vaulting” hops over a trap instrumental to talk about being over the bullshit. “King” works in a more rubbery beat to remind y’all that he’s royalty around these parts prior to the synth-driven “Love Songs” taking a melodic approach talking about never seeing a king of romance that went wrong.

To end the first half, “Shallow” brings a cloudier vibe to the table wanting to be called a visionary who did it first when it’s all said & done while the atmospheric “Where Demons Come to Die” admitting he damn-near lost his soul & sacrificed his peace. “Kill Everything in the Way” declares himself as the new leader of the resistance over a slow boom bap beat just before the wavy “Rolling Stoned” featuring Isaiah Rashad talks about keeping it cold, fresh & clean.

One of my favorites on the album no question has to be “Start a Business” from the groovy instrumental to the motivational lyricism encouraging people to start up their own businesses since they can’t be employees for the middle man forever & finally, “Baby I’m Up” concludes Sleep Paralysis with a 7 & a half minute ode to his success after people tried to leave him for dead & drag his name through the mud.

TDE’s been slowly but surely allowing the biggest artists on their roster to release new music in recent years after making their fans wait forever, so it makes perfect sense for Kembe to make a comeback & one that new listeners will find themselves invested in. He’s exploring new sounds with the help of Hidden Sabotage & the subject matter is significantly more personal than his early stuff was.

Score: 8/10

Comments

Post a Comment

The Street Sign Store

Streets

103rd street 108th Street 109th Street 111th Street 14th street 16th avenue 1st Street 1st avenue 216th Street 222th Street
23rd Avenue 23rd Avenue South 2nd avenue 4th avenue plaza 50th Street 5th Street Acacia Avenue Alhambra Road Alki Avenue Southwest Alondra Boulevard Alvarado Street Andover Street Andover Street & Rainier Avenue Antwerp Street Arizona Avenue Aurora Avenue Azusa Avenue Baldwin Avenue Baseline Road Bell Street Berkshire Avenue Blackstone Road Brand Boulevard Broadway Broadway & Harrison Street Broadway & Thomas Street Burbank Boulevard California Avenue California Avenue SW California Boulevard Carson Street Catalina Avenue Cedros Avenue Central Avenue Charles Street Charlestown Street Charleville Boulevard Chestnut Street Claremont Boulevard Cloverdale Street Crenshaw Boulevard Cypress Street Dakota Street Dearborn Street Del Amo Boulevard Denker Avenue Denver Avenue Devonshire Street Donna Marie Lane East Boulevard El Bonito Avenue El Molino Avenue El Sereno Avenue Elevado Avenue Elk Avenue Figueroa Street Florence Avenue Foothill Boulevard Fremont Avenue Gains Mill Street Gardena Avenue Gardena Boulevard Garey Avenue Garvey Avenue Genesee Street Glendale Boulevard Graham Street Grandee Avenue Green Lane Greenwood Avenue Harrison Street Harvard Street Helms Avenue Henderson Street Hollyglen Lane Holt Avenue Honolulu Avenue Hoover Street Indian Hill Boulevard Inglewood Boulevard Ivy Avenue John Street Juneau Street Kenwood Street La Cañada Boulevard Lake Avenue Lake Wash Boulevard Lavender Lane Lincoln Avenue Lodi Creek Road Lomita Boulevard Long Beach Boulevard Los Arboles Lane Los Robles Avenue Louise Street Lower Azusa Road Madison Street Magnolia Avenue Malachite Avenue Manhattan Beach Boulevard Marengo Avenue Mariposa Street Mission Street Monterey Road Mountain Street Myrtle Avenue Oakland Avenue Old Mill Road Orcas Street Parthenia Street Phinney Avenue Pine Street Rainier Avenue Redondo Beach Boulevard Reseda Boulevard Rev. Dr. S. McKinney Avenue Rio Hondo Avenue Rosecrans Avenue Rosemead Boulevard Roy Street & Broadway SW Alaska Street San Dimas Avenue San Dimas Canyon Road San Gabriel Boulevard Santa Monica Boulevard Seattle Boulevard Seattle Street Sepulveda Boulevard Seward Park Avenue Silverlake Boulevard Slauson Avenue Spring Street & Western Avenue Stanford Street Sunset Boulevard Temple City Boulevard Thistle Street Torrance Boulevard Tremont Street Tyler Avenue Valley Boulevard Vicksburg Avenue Vista Del Valle Road Wardlow Road Washington Boulevard Waverly Road Weller Street West Haven Road Wilson Avenue alameda street alamitos avenue alpine street anaheim street arden road arroyo parkway beacon avenue south belvidere street boren avenue broadway court cahuenga boulevard centinela avenue chester avenue claremont street coco avenue colorado boulevard colorado street bridge columbia street conceptual street sign photography cordova street euclid avenue fair oaks avenue foothill street garfield avenue green street herbert street holliston avenue holly street howard street hudson avenue iowa avenue jackson street jefferson street la brea avenue la rosa road lemon avenue linden boulevard locust street madison avenue malibu colony road mar vista avenue mentor avenue michigan avenue olvera street orange grove boulevard venice blvd ventura blvd virginia street
Show more