A new album from a true UK Hip Hop ambassador is always something to look forward to and they don’t come much more accomplished than Life MC.
Dropping his first album since Phi Life Cypher’s acrimonious split late last year, Life comes correct with 20 tracks of absolute quality over Nappa’s distinct, boom bap production.
Ranging from straight up battle rhymes to complex analysis of self and touching on the usual global conspiracy inspired themes, there’s something on this album for any head to get their neck snapping. With a pure authentic delivery Life refuses to dumb down and delivers in his impeccable style. ‘Gift Of Life’ bridges the gap between the prevalent sound of the early noughties when ‘Millenium Metaphors’ dropped and cemented Phi Life’s position at the top of the scene, while still managing to stay fully relevant to the current generation of UKHH, emphasised by two impeccable features from new school MCs. Res of Split Prophets bounces perfectly on the chilled ‘Arctic Flow’ while a special mention is reserved for renowned freestyle assassin Tenchoo, who’s verse on the panic laden ‘Next Dimension Comprehension’ is absolute fire, and that’s coming after the opening verse from one of the UK’s most respected in Life himself.
If it aint broke don’t fix it seems a good motto in a scene that seems to get overly concerned about looking for the ‘next thing’, Life and Nappa show that the timeless combination of heavy beats and dope rapping skills is the reason Hip Hop is where it’s at today, and when it’s done this good, the formula is still as exciting and creative as it’s always been. Features from respected MCs, Reveal, Micall Parknsun and Genesis Elijah break up and compliment Life’s lyrical onslaught perfectly, while the reggae sampling ‘Sound Bwoy Killa’ featuring Buggsy is exactly as dope as you would imagine the UKs most well renowned ‘Hip Hop Dreads’ teaming up together would sound.
With talk of new projects already finished and more in the pipeline from Life MC and the hugely anticipated album by Nappa and Cappo dropping soon, it seems the Phi Life split definitely hasn’t signalled the end of the Luton based crew but has heralded a new beginning, and if ‘Gift Of Life’ signals the intentions then we can fully expect to see Life’s name engrained in any debate about the best in the scene for the foreseeable future. Class.
Gift Of Life is available on CD or digital here