by Jack Spencer
7/20/09

One of the things that is exciting about Twin Cities rap is that listening to an artist you’ve never heard before feels legitimately like listening to something new.  Despite the faulty impressions larger media may have that all Minnesota acts must surely sound like Atmosphere, the truth is that we have one of the most varied and interesting hip-hop scenes in the country.  As I began to listen to The Watchmen, the Graff Roots trio out of St. Paul, for the first time, I realized I had no idea what to expect.  The doo-wop intro with CB radio vocals of “Burnin’” was out of left field and made me excited for the directions this rap album would take me.  From the outset, the album sustains a bouncy feel and purports to be a fun listen.  The production is somewhat reminiscent of mid-90’s breakbeat ala The Wiseguys, aping the eclecticism that permeated in the sample-based electronic music of the decade previous. “Double Fisting” is a strong example of The Watchmen’s strengths as a crowd-rocking duo, as rappers J. L. Magee and Legend Has It smoothly lay down rhymes over a unique energetically downtempo beat from Ganzo Beans.  The lyrical content is largely rhyme-heavy rapidfire party material that float over the head-nodding soul jams provided by producers Ganzo Beans and Solid Gold Science.  The vocals sink into the tracks in a way that make the album seem like a production-centric affair.  The beats are heavily produced, weaving together a tapestry of sounds and often include sampled vocals layed over rapped vocals.  The beats on this album are tightly constructed and concoct an impressive final product that culls from a variety of sources.  Big without being overblown, heavy without being plodding, funky without being airy, the production here is excellent and carries the album quite well.  Each song differs enough from one another to keep you engaged throughout, but still it holds together as a full album.  The songs are strikingly unique and set themselves apart from the work of most Minnesota rap acts.

At times, the production seems to overtake the vocal portion.  While the raps do mix well with the beats, they can sound integrated to the point of being buried.  As the vocals blend into the mix, the instrumental portion often extends far beyond the verse sections.  This is certainly not a problem, as the songs sound incredibly tight and well-fused.  Songs such as “St. Paul” are structured to give the vocals some breathing room, but this can backfire, as the song’s aggro-rasta chorus can be a bit trying.  Though it is an unfair judgement to put all Minnesota rap in the same category, I can understand the sentiment:  As the album progresses, the Eyedea cadence so many white Minnesotan rappers fall into rears its ugly head.  Despite the group dynamics in this local three piece, neither rapper sets themselves apart from another, almost blending together as one.  This never detracts from the listen, however, as the raps maintain a live energy and boom-bap punch that supersedes any of these criticisms.  In terms of strict skill, Magee and Legend maintain an impressive ability on the microphone, and probably turn out quite the live show.  The rhymes come fast and fit comfortably over the atypical production.  Blending so smoothly into the beats is the pair of rappers’ strength, and at no point do the beats and rhymes seem to compete with one another.  Much of the lyrics are about getting down, being good at rapping, and putting on dope shows, and its pretty clear Magee and Legend are adept at all of the above.

In all, the latest release from Graff Roots’ The Watchmen is an entertaining listen and is one of the more unique albums from an up-and-coming local group.  On wax, the sounds become a production-centered affair, which is largely in terms of how the mix is layed out.  The beats are meaty enough to drive the songs, and the raps blend into the mix like an extra instrument.  The rapping is quite good and serves the beats well, but doesn’t get the chance to stand out on its own enough.  A live performance is likely the best way to experience the skill of the MCs at their best.  On album, the beats and rhymes fuse together in a way that is complimentary and sounds fluid.  This is some strikingly interesting stuff, and I look forward to hearing more material from the talented trio.

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