Nottz
You Need This Music
After doing a bang-up job on Rah Digga’s Classic, the most known unknown producer in hip-hop seizes the moment with his own follow-up release. For those familiar with the man’s work, I’m sure there’s no need to tell you that his MPC-game is completely and totally on-point throughout the album’s 14 tracks. The biggest surprise of the project is the simple fact that Nottz also actually has the ability to hold his own on the mic. As unfair as it may be, his tendency to highlight his often playful flow with that Virginia drawl of his (along with his producer-turned-MC status) makes it hard not to draw comparisons to Kanye West after listening to the first few tracks.
But unlike Mr. West, it’s clear that Nottz is not trying in any way to make his emceeing the focal point of his music. The healthy list of guest-appearances alone is a good indication that he still considers himself to be a musician first and foremost. In fact, instead of using his bars to do the typical boasting about mic skills, Nottz uses them to boast about his infamy and consistency as a beat-maker. And if you don’t agree with the fact that he’s been one of the most consistently tight producers in the game for the past decade, I honestly don’t think you can possibly know what raw, unadulterated hip-hop music sounds like.
That being said, it’s unfortunate that Nottz seems to stumble a little with the album’s opening — but only momentarily. After a strange hiccup featuring some out-of-place drumwork by Travis Barker, the roomy-pocketed boom bap that we all know and love busts you in the jaw with the carnival-inspired sounds of “Fair Warning,” followed by the pleasant thump of “Blast That” featuring Black Milk. Tracks like these make the first half of the project familiarly satisfying in it’s own way, but it’s not until about halfway through that the strongest offerings begin to surface. The dreamy violins and seemingly living bassline of “How Long Will It Last,” the muted horns and catchy Mayer Hawthorne-assisted hook on “I Still Love You,” and Asher Roth waxing nostalgic over the feel-good, chime-highlighted bounce of “Dontcha Wanna Be (My Neighbor)” all give another level of dimension to Nottz’ signature sound while still sounding like a natural progression.
Nottz isn’t going to win any awards for lyricism any time soon; but of course, he doesn’t need to. His home is behind the boards. And when you’re able to coax these kinds of sounds from them, I’d say you’re perched pretty highly over the rest of the hip-hop kingdom. I’m not sure if we need this music, but we’re certainly very blessed to have it.
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