Secret Meeting score: 76
By Phil Scarisbrick
Back in June, Black Thought dropped what was described as the first of three ‘Streams of Thought‘ EPs. Produced by 9th Wonder and The Soul Council, the first instalment showcased The Roots’ frontman’s unique ability to mould and sculpt the English language at will, and all through improvisation. The new collection – Streams of Thought, Vol. 2—Black Thought x Salaam Remi Presents Traxploitation – sees him team up with the legendary producer, Remi – whose credits include Fugees, Amy Winehouse and Nas – and carries on where Vol. 1 left off.
Remi’s soul-drenched beats provide a backdrop that is far-removed from the frenetic and energetic backing of June’s release, but Thought’s relentless freestyles remain breathtaking. Opener, Fentynol, sees our narrator comparing his rapping prowess to the highly addictive prescription pain killer that killed Prince and Tom Petty. Get Outlined laments the highly dangerous environments that often see murder victims ‘outlined’ at the scene of their demise, with complete G-funk evoking flutes patched into the beat.
The nine-track release goes at such break neck speed that it requires multiple listens to take in all the double entendres and rich stanzas; this is certainly no chore though as the lush aesthetic is worth revisiting. A case in point is How To Hold A Choppa- a tale that unveils Thought’s grandfather telling him a story about his own father, presumably a slave, who was seemingly sold by his owner for gold and copper despite his high quality of work on a plantation. The song’s deeper meaning though brings the story right up to date with today’s struggles with inequality and wealth gaps.
Despite clocking in at a lightning fast twenty three minutes, Vol. 2 covers a hell of a lot of ground. Now a veteran of the game, time has neither diminished or softened his approach to his wordsmithery. All it has done is sharpen the pencil, and with a third part of the trilogy likely to appear in early 2019, Tariq can cement his place as one of the best in the business.
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