When you listen to the top 40 rap hits nowadays, sometimes you hear lyrics so ridiculous that you wonder if the mc really believes his own hype, or if it’s just an act to gain exposure. Eminem reached superstar status with his raw humor and shock factor. Outkast has shown enough overall depth in their music so that their playful tracks don’t come off so shallow. But putting a positive message in hip-hop has gone out of style, and few are able to pull it off in a balanced way.

In 2009 the purpose of music is entertainment, but leave it up to this subversive mc from Alabama to bring the ruckus and rock a message. Thed Weller is like a good guy pro wrestler: he’s trying to do the right thing, but ain’t afraid to kick a little ass along the way. With battle raps like this, you’ll think about joining the good guys.

I’ve been rappin since Nissans was Datsuns / my rhymes connect like Al Graham Bell pagin Watson
I’m from a whole other world / it is my space that you lost in / wack mcs set their soul for sale, that’s what it’s costin
I’m like frosting over any cake track / I’ll take the dopest mc and make him think he can’t rap / In fact
That’s what Thed Weller thrives on / I’ll rap your ears to death and won’t stop until I rap your eyes gone…

- Better Than I Can Tell You

Don’t get it twisted though, Thed Weller’s Better Than I Can Tell You LP isn’t the typical ego-driven chant-down-babylon manifesto against the mainstream. The track Grown Man Music expresses his music’s maturity, while Hold it in the Road (some serious production on this track by Constantine the Emcee) speaks on walking the straight path in a world that rewards shortcuts. The album weaves together organic instruments and raw sampling, ranging from melodic hip-hop ballad to old school banger. Thed also sprinkles in some soul, featuring several guest singers who add to the musical possibilities and keep the album from stagnating.

The full album is available for free mp3 download at ThedWeller.com until Jan. 20. All proceeds from this album go to benefit the Hip-Hop is Music Foundation (HHIM) so if you download the free album, think about kicking down a couple bucks to promote the art form.

Exit is a truly unique and enlivening musical experience. You can’t help but feel passionately moved when you listen to this album. The acoustic freshness and melodic singing are not what you would expect from a hip-hop record, but this is not your average hip-hop. K-os unites his love for hip-hop with a blend of soul, rock, and reggae, giving birth to a liberating musical pilgrimage.

I’ve always had a special respect for diverse musicians. Exit is mostly a one-man show, from the ground up. K-os produces, raps, and sings on this eclectic collection of songs. It took me several listens to realize that there are no guest singers or mc’s. K-os moves so freely from singing to rapping that it sometimes sounds like there are two different vocalists. The moods of this album express a range of emotions and thoughts. Soothing inspiration, contemplative spirituality, and a childish, playful romanticism. You won’t hear much greed, hate, or self-worship in this album.

Chase is Georgia mc who is giving you another reason not to stereotype that down south hip-hop. Several hot tracks demand airplay on the new Dead Poets full-length. Chase proves not to be a one-sided mc, he’s got the whole arsenal: metaphors, punchlines, storytelling, intelligence, aggression, rhythm, and a clear, articulate voice.

“Visitor” is a social commentary from an alien’s eye view – a good song concept, executed consistently throughout the song without falling out of the role. This Redd Menace produced track compliments the lyricism well. This song and several others on the Dead Poets LP have that crucial balance between instrumentation and vocals. In “Regrets”, Chase speaks from the grave, as a victim of mistaken identity. This tragic story is a powerful and solemn expression of death’s irrational and unpredictable nature. I’m glad to see that Chase doesn’t avoid the difficult topics, and he doesn’t just repeat the same played-out cliches, either. I find this album impressive mainly because of the interesting ideas and thoughts that went into the lyricism. But even if you’re not the type of listener to examine the words closely, you’ll still be satisfied by the fluid, even-metered flow and bangin beats on tracks like “Tenacious” and “Kaotic Cipha”. This album is full of witty one-liners as well as developed concepts, thoughtful insight as well as passionate expression. Chase has proven his ability to create music from more than one angle, and if he can continue to do that, then the possibilities are unlimited.

If you aren’t already familiar with Russian DJ and Producer DJ Vadim, then you are missing out on one of the greatest hip-hop artists outside of the USA. His latest album, USSR: The Art of Listening is his most mature and finished LP to date. His earlier release USSR Repertoire broke new ground with its curiously structured rhythms and drum patterns. 1999′s The Isolationist is Vadim’s immortal collabo with Anti-Pop Consortium. DJ Vadim has made music with many respected artists from around the world, and the new album is no different. USSR Repertoire features Gift of Gab, Slug, Motion Man, Phi Life Cypher, Yarah Bravo, Demolition Man, and several others.

USSR: The Art of Listening feels to me like a further development of a sound that is uniquely DJ Vadim. Some of Vadim’s songs can sound deceivingly loose and unstructured when you first hear them, if you are expecting to hear a traditional, tried-and-true brand of hip-hop. It always takes me several careful listens to slowly absorb the subtle musical tactics that make DJ Vadim one of today’s top producers and songwriters. The cello melody and drum arrangement on “She Who is Tested” are especially impressive. (Yarah Bravo makes two outstanding appearances on this album: in this song and on the elegant “The Pacifict”)

DJ Vadim’s abilities shine through in the absence of vocals in “The Harp Song (Part 2)”, where his unconventional approach makes other hip-hop tracks sound like cardboard cut-outs. This song’s unpredictable twists and turns will steal your concentration, and leave you hungry to hear it again. A lot of music out there sounds hot at first, but gets played out the more you hear it. USSR The Art of Listening doesn’t reveal itself all at once, it has depth, sophistication and harmony, and in some unlikely ways. The closer you listen to Vadim’s music, the more appreciation you’ll have for it – this is not background music, it is a prodigious mutation in the evolution of music.

More info. on DJ Vadim can be found at:
Ninja Tune: audio/video, online store, tour info. and djvadim.com