Review Hip Hop

M.E.D.

Classic

Stones Throw • 2011

When speaking of M.E.D., it’s quite easy to spot the similarities to Nate Dogg: he, too, has raised awareness throughout featurings over the last years and has taken quite a while to release his own solo-album. Hence, the only thing left to ask is whether Medaphoar also manages to convince the listeners in full album length. At least, he got himself some heavy-weighted support: Stone Throw’s home-producer Madlib, Oh No and Georgia Anne Muldrow. The biggest part of the production was done by none other than Madlib himself, which is quite pleasing and which guarantees a fitting and diversified sound-scenery. Furthermore, guest performances by Talib Kweli, Aloe Blacc, Planet Asia, Hodgy Beats and others enrich the record and ensure proper entertainment. All in all, the whole spectrum between heavy head-nodders and more quiet, souly tracks, has been covered. Still, the album does not quite live up to its title, Classic, even though it provides a good amount of entertainment, which is mostly due to the most approachable Madlib-beats in some time now. To answer the question asked in the beginning: maybe. In the end, especially the tracks, in which M.E.D. is sharing the mic, are the most convincing ones. Above all, there is the amazing title-track together with Talib Kweli, but also Outta Control, together with Hodgy Beats of the Odd-Future-Crew. But the fans of Madlib, Stones Throw and Medaphoar will surely also very much enjoy the rest of the album.