MP3 REVIEW: Rel The Chosen “THE UGLY”

Rel The Chosen “THE UGLY”

                Times are hard nowadays.   People don’t like to read about words like “recession” or calling this a great depression (What’s so great about it?), but I do believe it to be true to some extent.    So recently, I’ve been going to some free classes about topics such as how to do better on a job interview and how to improve upon your existing resume.    One of the things I’ve learned so far is that to land the job you really want, you have to sell yourself to the company you’re applying to work at.   You have do something- whether in the interview in person or on paper with the resume- to stand out from the rest of the pack and say, “Hey, I’m the best person for this job”.    It’s kind of funny because in the back of my mind I can think “Yeah, I’m better than all of those people currently writing for Rolling Stone, so why don’t they employ me instead?”, yet when I get into a resume or an interview I see that as bragging and just can’t translate it from my mindset to their decision to make.

                In a lot of respects, music is the same game.   At one point on “THE UGLY”, Rel The Chosen (Can I call you just “Rel” from here on out?  Unless told otherwise, I think I shall) says something to the effect of living life like every other emcee only being the best rapper in the game.   To think we are all just human, so why should I listen to your album over the hundreds (thousands?) of rap albums already released this year?    As a rapper, you really do have to sell yourself and so a lot of this album is what I consider to be bragging, yet something you have to do in order to be in my headphones.

                First off, this album opens with a brief message from Rel’s daughter introducing the CD.  I think that’s kind of neat, but if it bothers you it’s at least short enough for you to not dwell on it too much.  

                Musically, this album comes off somewhere between Sage Francis and Chuck D, though it’s hard to actually compare Rel The Chosen to another rapper because, well, no one in hip hop is doing what he’s doing right now.    Rel says it best himself: “Anybody claiming that they’re doper, don’t trust ‘em”.

                I also came to learn through this album (And yes, something like 76% of my news is delivered to me via hip hop) that apparently Rel The Chosen was in a car accident last year that nearly killed him.   I was somewhat shocked to hear that, because I reviewed an album of his before this one and I really liked it, so it would have been sad to see him gone.   Also, had he died this album wouldn’t even be here right now with me listening to it and reviewing it, telling you to listen to it, so it’s all kind of strange, right?  [Side Note: Yes, I am totally thinking of that line in “Drillbit Taylor” though about “If I live I’m 50 Cent, if I die I’m Tupac”.   Sorry.]

                “THE UGLY” isn’t all serious (He does make a “That’s what she said” joke at one point), but it does come hard and it seems very big.   I’d want to call it epic, but that’s a word that’s just too overused (and misused) these days.    A lot of my favorite rappers, like Rel, are from Houston.   I don’t ever want to offend someone but I’m always willing to speak the truth.   So I will close out this review by simply saying this:  I’m putting all other emcees on notice.   iLL LiaD.  Fat Tony.  Kyle Hubbard.  JOn Black.  Ensane.   Nosaprise.  Sage Francis.  B Dolan.   And anyone I might have missed.   I love y’all.  I really do.  But this album right here is one of the best rap albums not only of 2013 but also that I’ve heard in quite some time.   And I challenge any other rapper to try and create something better.   Because from here on out, any rap album I hear will get the review of “Yeah, it’s good, but it’s not ugly”.    As the man himself said it best, “If there’s anybody rapping who can beat me- show me”.  

                Oh, and also, at one point there is the line:

                “Watch what you say about me on the blog / I read it all / And I take it personally too”

                I do remember getting a thanks on my blog for the last review I posted, so this line kind of made me smile, like, “Yeah, you do read it all, don’t you”, so Rel The Chosen, I want you to read this and I want you to take it very personally.   Because I’ve never met you and I moved halfway across the country back to the east coast and away from H-Town, but this is quite possibly the best rap album I have ever heard in my entire life.