Joined: Nov 2005 Gender: Male Posts: 664 Location: Buffalo, NY Karma: 55
DETAINED @ THE BORDER REVIEWS. « Thread Started on Sept 18, 2006, 2:06am »
im sayin. have u heard this shit yet? gr& phee and rhyson hall kill it. i dont think my opinion really counts....but there was this dope ass write up in denver on the show, but basically about the album, even tho they aint heard ALL of it. but i figured i'd start posting some reactional shit i read about the album, if u seen, heard, or said sumfin, let em know:
Jim Laski aka Jimmy Elz wrote:
> Dude, this is one dope release!!! Holy shit. I'm lovin' it. Production's tight as fuck and Phee and Rhys are as usual, holdin it down! I'm playing this CD all the time! > > Later, > > Jim
Joined: Nov 2005 Gender: Male Posts: 664 Location: Buffalo, NY Karma: 55
Re: DETAINED @ THE BORDER REVIEWS. « Reply #2 on Jan 19, 2007, 1:03pm »
By Bob Silvestri bobsilvestri@bestofwny.com
Buffalo’s premier hip hop label Deep Thinka Records has dropped the latest from GR& and Rhyson Hall tilted Detained At The Border. Mixing mad beats and dope rhymes the conceptual piece simulates a trip over the Canadian border for a show in Toronto and the problems going down. Some of the guests dropping by to help include DJ Cutler, Vander, Natwheat, Covert, Pseudo Slang, Eternia and many other artists. GR& Phee and Hall hit their groove on the tracks “The Movement”, “Womens (The Good and The Bad)” and “Do You Have Anything 2 Declare?” Others include “The Late Show” that bounces on a nice piano coda, “Home Skillet” which deals with the state of the Buffalo and Toronto hip hop scene and “Yonge Stretch Interlude” which breaks things up with some levity. For more on GR& Phee and Rhyson Hall’s Detained At The Border or Deep Thinka Records go to www.deepthinka.com
No passport required AIDAN KEAVENEY - Staff Writer
Breathing life into the seemingly long lost art of hip-hop, local artists Rhyson Hall and Grand Phee uncover hidden gems in the overwhelmingly saturated market of gangsta rap.
The release, "Detained @ the Border," is a collaborative album between the two label mates.
Hall and Phee's unique styles compliment each other very nicely. "Detained at the Border" is extremely versatile in that the two blend strong beats with passionate rhymes and humor into one unorthodox sound.
Skilled wordplay and smooth delivery is consistent from track to track. Both rappers have verbal power and it shows, particularly in the songs "The Movement," which features other local artists Pseudo Slang, as well as in "The Late Show."
Grand Phee and Rhyson Hall have toured the nation and achieved success in the online world and college radio. Rhyson Hall's previously released single "Still Raw," which is featured on the album, has already topped college radio charts. This song stands out as one of the higher points of the record, demonstrating Hall's talent as a lyricist.
"Detained @ The Border" takes on the style of classic underground hip-hop. The sound remains largely uncelebrated, low in hype, yet resilient in creativity and style. The album's retro-style will remind listeners of the late '80s and early '90s hip-hop culture. These talented young emcees have the potential to put the Buffalo hip-hop scene on the map.
The "Detained @ The Border" CD release party will be held at The Buffalo Icon on Feb. 23. at 10 p.m. Tickets cost $5 pre-sale, $10 at the door.
Ever since President Bush introduced his plan to tighten border security with Mexico, or even as far back as the post-9/11 security crackdown across Canada, the government has been giving people a difficult time when it comes to crossing any border. Now, imagine if Canada adopted these harsh conservative methods. With their new concept album, Detained @ the Border, Rhyson Hall and Gr& Phee rap about what it would be like if the Peace Bridge wasn’t so peaceful and if US Anti-terror laws applied to all borders.
Appropriately launching the album with “Do You Have Anything to Declare?,” Hall and Phee entertain us with a humorous reenactment of their border woes. Contrasting these two bomb-ass MCs with a nasally, assuredly white patrolman, the song offers up a scenario all UB students are familiar with. Questions like, “Do you have anything to declare?,” “You both from the US?,” and “How long do you plan to stay here?” are followed by powerful rhythms with industrial drumbeats. The lyrical dialogue goes sour, with the officer accusing Hall and Phee of carrying guns and smuggling drugs into Canada, to which they reply “Bringing trees to Canada is like sand at a beach.”
The next border that Rhyson Hall and Gr& Phee tackle is that between making it big and working for minimum wage. Teamed up with OEN Garde, “W-2” is an easily accessible Buffalo anthem. “And to the tick-tock and you stop / everyday we a slave and we punch the clock / tock-tick and you don’t quit / I ain’t trying to be homeless or broke as shit” is the hook that is repeated in between each artist’s personal experience working as janitor, construction worker, or any job that’s less than desirable. On a similar note, “Still Raw” is an inner conflict with the rappers. Hall declares, “I should have been a statistic, but I ain’t good at math / Try and find the straight and narrow, walking a crooked path” as the back-track is scratched by a pro. Mixing battle rhythms with the chaotic scratching, it’s hard to not bounce your head to this one.
“Code Brown” ends the album on the same note it started. Harassment and racial discrimination are at the center of this song featuring Zone de Northstar, OEN Garde, and Bogustice. Though the sound is much different, it’s hard to not compare this to Jay-Z’s “99 Problems” because of the corny sounding police officer (read: “pig”) harassing the MCs. The warrior trumpets, light piano, and massive beats string the song along, which ends with a punch line from a Daily Show skit.
Detained @ the Border is full of tight tracks and genius lyrics. Each song will find you bobbing your head and absorbing the sound. The concept album is redefined, with each song being about the trials and tribulations of being on the edge. Hall and Phee’s lyrical skills are refined, making for a great album.
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