Review

Roc Marciano

Reloaded

Decon • 2012

Does Roc Marciano really need an introduction? With his debut »Marcberg«, he pressed one of the rawest rap-records of the last decade into black plastic and has since established himself as the torchbearer of rap-aesthetics with a golden New Yorker stamp. More than two and a half years after his modern hardcore-HipHop-classic, Maciano has now reloaded his Mossberg-Pumpgun with almost identical ammunition. It consists of razor-sharp and poignant stream-of-consciousness-flows as well as concentrated, polysyllabic rhyme-salvos, which at times are close to perfection. All that is wrapped in all kinds of mobster-metaphors, broachng issues of luxury, guns, girls, delicatessen and intoxicants. Hence, the one-man-army created a contemporary blaxploitation-cosmos, inevitably reminding the listener of the cinematic atmosphere in former Wu-solo-works like »Ironman« or »OB4CL«. The instrumental frame is again mostly provided by Maestro Marciano himself. His monotone vocals often take over the function of drums on top of organ-, guitar- or piano-loops, which makes the song’s intensity almost exponentiate. Those who are looking for uplifting tracks, for musical excursions to electronic trend-genres or for a blunt striptease of the soul will definitely not find them here. However, if you’re searching for an authentic, gimmick-less rap-sound from 2012, Roc Marciano will make you happy. Maybe even happier than with his great debut.