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CD Review - Joose
2nd Round Mixtape
Killawatt Records
“Between us and Babylon it’s going down….” From T-Dot to VanCity, Joose represents one half of the Plazma Crew (along with Talksick), and their diverse sound bears the unmistakable stamp of the Dot and it’s heavy Caribbean influence. Joose bobs and weaves with an engaging sing-song flow and catchy hooks over Old School funk, gangsta and dancehall beats, managing to connect jabs to the Beast’s belly with sharply conscious lyrics delivered in his distinctively hype, gravelly tone.
Talksick’s thick Jamaican slang flavours “The Don’t Like” with hustling intensity, over a beat characteristic of the new hybrid sounds of the Screwface Capital. “Fashion” is a great display of the chemistry of Plazma - tight rhymes with a purpose with Talksick’s Jamaican slang flow complementing Joose’s EastCoast flavoured rhyme style.
“Education” is a revolutionary ABC that lays out the foundations of struggle one letter at a time. “VanCity” is an appropriately paranoid sounding introduction to our fair city, where natural beauty is eclipsed by human insanity. Fellow Killawat souljah Lamar Ashe drops the soulful hook on “Testify,” smoothly blending Joose’s political economic breakdown with a club friendly beat.
Weighing in at over 20 tracks, with a great sample of the “Dread vs. Babylon” boxing match providing unity between tracks, Joose’s 2nd Round Mixtape is a diverse and entertaining disc, full of unique and engaging flows ranging from hardcore to dancehall to club bangers, with intelligent street level lyricism steadily dissecting the edifice of evil. Samples of commentary provide a serious discussion of global capitalism and genetic engineering, subjects usually too elevated for most rappers to deal with. Joose’s political dialectic is not didactic - he doesn’t preach or even vent his anger through ranting and raging, he lays out his principles in fluid rhyme, planting the seeds of mind evolution in heads that might not even realize it. To rap about the madness of the street life is nothing new, and Joose drops the hustler flows as good as any, but he takes it to the next level when he elevates the discussion to speaking on the real causes of the chaos and oppression - the bankers, politicians and overseers who profit from suffering.
A welcome addition to our local Hip Hop community, Joose brings that much needed Toronto flavour to a city still searching for it’s own sound (and soul). Joose can be seen onstage rocking it with Red-1 and the Killawatt crew, solo, and guiding the youth through conscious Hip Hop education at a community center near you!
By Dave “Corvid” McCallum
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Discography
Plazma: Contraband mixtape
Joose: Second Round Mixtape
Killawatt Mixtape
Photos
Bio
PLAZMA are Toronto's hip-hop veterans: Talk-S.I.K. and Joose have been performing their unique blend of hip-hop and reggae since their teens and have developed a sound like no other. Their style can be considered roots with a new vibe: this is People Living Az Moments Arrive music.
Joose and Talk-S.I.K. have been known to rock legendary Toronto spots like Mel Lastman Square, El Mocambo and Nathan Phillips Square. On the Killawatt roster "The Plaz" have toured and performed with hip-hop icons like Ice Cube, Akon, Maestro, Masta Ace, Too Short and Mos Def to name a few.
Plazma is grounded in a strong fan base, giving them the opportunity to develop their new sound and spread that sound worldwide. They involve their communities in building a stable ground for hip-hop music to flourish creatively; the group's dedication to community service ensures this growth. They consistently take time from their busy schedules for community performances like Mobilization Against War and Occupation's annual hip-hop festival and L.O.V.E. Out Loud. Plazma is currently working with local community radio to develop programs which involve, empower and mentor inner city youth in all aspects of hip-hop culture.
People Living Az Moments Arrive hope to continue their efforts as musical activists for many years. They are working to establish a strong foundation of resources and knowledge to empower not only their own generation but also the new leaders of the information age.
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