One.Be.Lo: The R.E.B.I.R.T.H.

As one half of Binary Star, One.Be.Lo (aka One Man Army) firmly established himself as one of the more intriguing voices of the late '90s underground resurgence. The Michigan native has remained staunchly independent throughout his career and manages to smoothly balance the culture and commerce of hip-hop. On The R.E.B.I.R.T.H. universal themes are given personal touches, a consistent theme within One Be Lo's music.

Environment plays a powerful role in One Be Lo's aesthetic. "Born & Raised," offers a geographical and sociological portrait of Pontiac, Michigan, and as with most of One Be Lo's compositions, a general overview fuses with personal anecdote, grounding the story while still allowing its message to easily transfer to the listener's experience.

"Headlines" addresses media and the manipulation of news by conglomerates. Better comprised than his previous attacks on media, "Headlines" allows Be Lo an outsiders' view of the state of the union. It's political rap without waving a flag or standing on a soap box -- critical and pointed but with tongue firmly in cheek. The following track, "War," brings the chaos back to a local street level. The interplay between songs is one of Be Lo's most compelling features, flipping between broad and narrow themes with equal ability to pull the most poignant aspects out of each respective scenario.

"The G Gap," follows that thought. Here a tale of two brothers who take different paths plays out over a production by Jake One. The introduction of live musicians on "Grey" translates to the deepest and warmest sound on the album. With Dave McMurray on sax and Scott Summer on electric piano, One Be Lo tackles the albums most abstract concept: vagaries represented by the color grey and addressed in three vignettes. He has a knack for addressing the good, bad and in between. It's the most constant theme on the album, and it's best articulated on "Grey."

Another winning facet of One Be Lo is his penchant for quick burst tales. "Snap Snap," is The Rebirth's example. With Eric G. on the track, we learn about the rappers dream girl. Sincere humor drives the clean little story, and One Be Lo again opens himself up to the listener.

The album concludes with two odes to Hip-Hop. "Hip-Hop Heaven" gives way to a bonus track, the theme for the Massive Monkees b-boy crew. The most refreshing aspect of these tracks is the affirmation that the rapper does indeed love and respect the culture that has fueled his path. In a time where rap so sadly exists outside the full context of hip-hop, One Be Lo manages to blend different subgenres (conceptually instead of sonically), and keeps things grounded to that core.

A more concise effort than his stellar debut S.O.N.N.O.G.R.A.M. (arguably his best album to date in this decade), The R.E.B.I.R.T.H. falls just short of its predecessor. But, it's not by much, and One Be Lo's writing and ability to articulate more abstract thought has improved. The title, however, is misleading, for One Be Lo is really just treading a familiar (thankfully) creative path.

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