Timid

Now to some underground Hip-Hop with real potential.’The Ryhme’ by Timid from his album ‘InTimidation’, released yesterday on 3rd Visional/Head Nod Music, is real ‘stream of consciousness’ Rap poetry type stuff. Real quality delivery and thought provoking lyrics abound. I hope this is an artist we’ll be hearing more of in wider circles soon. - Label Life

as reviewed by Matt Jost

Ever since I started writing for RapReviews.com, I've come to appreciate the honest and hard work exercised by independent artists. Can't have a rule without an exception, of course, but I can't tell you how refreshing it is to hear someone speak with his own voice over his own beats, instead of some hot shot rapper simultaneously riding his high horse as well as tracks that cost more than what most people make in a year. Some independent rappers will give you hip-hop as it was meant to be: raw, fresh, exciting, challenging.

Out of the truly independent rappers I've come across so far, only a few were eager to please mainstream tastes, while most had their very unique vision of hip-hop. Some of these visions are a bit on the weird side, but some make so much sense you'll find it hard to join in the general 'rap is dead' discussions.

This week's rap resurrector is Timid whose vision of hip-hop encompasses even the things only seen by the third eye, as the name of his production company, Third Visional Entertainment, suggests. Several rap clichés can be ruled out when speaking of Timid. He does not lament the desolate state of hip-hop, he does not brag about his material possessions, he does not glorify violence, he does not even curse - yet he's not a backpacker either. So what is he about?

Belying both his nom de plume and his album's name, Timid is on a soul-searching and at the same time soul-soothing mission. You might even say he's out to save a few spirits. Here we have a rapper that actually gives a damn, who cares about his soul, about your soul. And makes music about it, 'soul music' in its original sense, its possibly purest form. No, he does not BARE his soul. Personal confessions - bar one - are absent from "inTimidation". Rather, he raps in propositions of almost Oriental wisdom. Seems too far fetched of a comparison? Not for someone who practices and teaches martial arts (Tai Chi, Chi Kung, Wing Chun) and has produced an instrumental CD ("Chi Kung Standing Meditations") that helps a number of practictioners around the world keep their balance. Like any respectful martial arts teacher, Timid keeps the distance between himself and his audience. Some might even mistake his monotone, subdued flow for indifference or arrogance.

But it's not this reserve unusual for a rapper that causes this album to lurch from side to side during its starting phase. The "inTimidation Intro" features some indeed very timid sounds emitted from a keyboard barely fingertipped and a growling bass carried by beats that are just too basic. Considering what's about to follow, maybe Timid should have opted for a warmer welcome instead of immediately trying to intimidate those who took the time out to listen to his CD. Still, if you like a well structured flow and lyrics to connect with your intellect, this'll show you what to expect down the line:

"Allow me a clear path to my goals
done for the love and for the audience of the souls
Head nod from the spine, rock your cervical vertabrae
keep bobbin' further down until your thoracic come into play
Intrinsic intuition keep you mesmerized at the core
View with triangle sight, past the illusion and see more
Uplifted, nature took its course and saw me to be gifted
Perceive truth of the deeds that evil seeds have shifted
Sifted through the rubble to find within what I must
the true handful of those ashes to ashes and dust to dust"

This rather dry performance is saved by singer Soul who lends his stablizing vocals, interrupted by Tash from Tha Liks calling in for a shout out. If you're seeking for salvation through "inTimidation", you'll have to sit through two more cuts that might tear at your nerves a bit. "Bars on the Battlefield" (f/ Killah) sounds like one of those Wu-Tang Killa Beez duds with the cheap eerie sounds and Timid and Killah spitting some verbal ballistics that go off like a blown up ammunition dump. It might look and sound impressive, but it's just that - a waste of ammunition.

"All About The Rhyme" eventually ends up on the same sidetrack. Being 'all about the rhyme', the track is too much of an end in itself, to "kill and fill time," as Timid admits himself in the rushed chorus. However, time is definitely not wasted on this one, with some advanced wordplay to be savoured:

"Musically addicted, a victim of rhythmic sensations
Exile myself with a #2 and a pad conducting relations
In depth concepts filed in Mental-pedia
let my brain feed, live stream, because this is Real Media
From alpha to zeta my thoughts come in waves
and I boogie bored myself to death on the path it paves
Rhyme pays off 2 to 1 but takes 15% in tips
20 more in tax and miscellaneous fees, now cash in ya chips
What ya got left to dip? Not much of the green is seen
depressed pockets, nothing but blue cheese and sour cream"

But as he begins to talk about "a race that thrives on aggression," and its "advanced civilized man, a tax-write-off humanitarian / normal contradiction in terms in the age of the techno-barbarian," Timid foreshadows the things to come. "I Ain't Got Nothin'" can't escape its Wu-Tang-likeness neither, but this time it's pulled off much better. With a sped up vocal sample and a dramatic track, this is the first time that "inTimidation" strikes a chord somewhere deep within. Meanwhile, Timid lays out his masterplan to "stay dilligent, try to make moves intelligent / and avoid bein' annoyed by the non-relevant." Be warned, you are dealing with a very mature individual here.

It certainly wouldn't be enough if only his rhymes spoke maturity, the music would have to as well. And it does. "Life's Way" would be perfectly at home with the Dungeon Family. Soulful harmonizing courtesy of the aforementioned Soul, a track that steadily builds up and releases tension, highs and lows sonically all covered, and finally Timid's reflective voice speaking his gospel on top of it. Without ever touching on religious matters, some songs here offer almost a spiritual experience and the listener feels that the "strength not from anger but manifested within / the calm and serentity that lies in all men," Timid has found them for himself.

And so his remake of the War classic "The World is a Ghetto" (built on the original strong groove), doesn't dwell in depression but makes its words speak as loud as any action:

"How fake is the one that has to remind you that he's real?
Strength of man shallowly determined by his muscle
and the beauty of life reduced to nothing more than a hustle
to get the vain attention that is craved by the ego
conscious ruled by the id, iced to perpetrate the regal
How am I suppose to look up to cats that exist below me?
Show me, homey, that you're worth more than your Roley"

It seems as if the War sample (including vocals) has fortified his delivery, as he raps more animated than usual. The fact aside that Timid's "The World Is A Ghetto" is built on a very solid foundation laid by War, this is a great song that should give everybody that listens to contemporary rap music something think about.

Speaking of music, Timid does not forget that music is what he does. In that sense, "A Little Music", which grants a kid's wish to "hear some music please," is as truthful as it is ironic. Singer Nasia lends her voice to the jazzy backdrop as Timid develops his musical theory:

"Such elegance, we hold these notes in reverance
heaven-sent, it's proven by your movement as evidence
characteristic of the mystical properties
of musical philosophies that reign on par with Socrates
innoculated by the vaccine of the scales
divided into 7 parts and reorganized into tales
told to the ear, bold for you to hear
Listen and behold noise made and played clear"

"A Little Music" sets the stage for "My Soul", a musically equally impressive statement. Again there's a singer (KJ) and the encompassing mellow vibe that we associate with the word 'soulful'. Then he's off for some ego-stroking ("Make No Mistake") again with the assistance of a singer (Brenda Sepulveda). Musically, things don't get tired as he hits you from yet another angle of the soul spectrum, with some truly funky bits and pieces intertwined into the mix. More in tune with the current 'avantgarde' stuff is "My Apology" which shocks both by the sudden personal touch and the insecure atmosphere that the song is set in. But whatever musical choice Timid makes, you get the feeling that the man knows what he's doing. Only "Understand the Concept" makes it hard to concentrate on the lyrics, as speeches, news reports, background singing and rapping are all clustered together, while the underlying acoustic guitar is being plucked rather indifferently.

Upholding a hip-hop tradition, "inTimidation" bids farewell with a posse cut. For a CD that has trouble getting in gear to take such a turn for the better, is quite a surprise. While it doesn't break any new ground musically, it's Timid's focus on what really matters that makes his album a radical step into the future. What you get from Timid is what for the time being only independent hip-hop can provide you with: rap music that speaks to your soul.

Music Vibes: 7 of 10 Lyric Vibes: 7 of 10 TOTAL Vibes: 7 of 10 - http://www.rapreviews.com

"Timid is an emcee to keep an eye on. He's serious about what he does and it shows: his production is steadily improving and there are moments of pure brilliance that will make you feel what Timid's all about.
- Urban Ambiance Journal

"Timid is an emcee who probably emcees 24 hours a day. Ever knew a cat who lived down the road who always had a file full of lyrics? Well this is the kind of guy we dealing with here. "
- http://www.africasgateway.com

"Great lyricists are hard to come by in this day and age of over commercialization and watered down products. Timid is indeed a great lyricist who has an uncanny ability to not only amaze you with his lyricism but rhyme structure and topics."
- MVRemix.com

The litany is long and winded: Rappers care nothing about us, just their limos, hos and capital gains. We've heard it all before.

And while that may be mostly true of mainstream hip-hop, the underground is still dropping science like it was 1989. Lately, it has been the inaptly named Timid who has defended the gates against stupid blingers and bangers.

His video for "Let Freedom Ring" mashes King, Bush, Pyongyang, Israel, Gitmo, Iraq and everything else geopolitical into a Golden-Age blender and feeds the results to your tender ears. It would behoove you to listen, especially if you think rap means nothing more than 50 Cent's kevlar vest or Lil Wayne's Hummer semi. - Wired

Timid and Mr. T may have little in common in appearance, but when it comes to listening to fools, suckers, punks and the like, they both got no time for the jibba jabba. Not to suggest that this is where the comparison ends, but as a rapper Jaylon A. Carter can do well without angry looks, sheer force and gold chains. His '02 debut may have been called "inTimidation," but if any intimidation is to be expected from "No Time for the Jibba Jabba," it is of the intellectual kind. Timid himself puts it this way:

"I know physically I'm not big enough for you to fear me
or handsome enough to force your girl to steer clear of me
or rich enough to worry if she wants to get near me
but beware of me, cause when I speak you will hear me"

The above hook, quoted from the album's prophetically entitled second track "You Will Hear Me," sums up the MC's underdog approach that combines down-to-earth sincerity with lofty goals. As a lyricist, Timid (cl)aims to bring nothing less than "meaning-of-life-type stuff yet simplistic enough for a cypher of street heads to decipher and recognize I'm not the average writer." He's "a lone voice in the air cluttered with talk / with an audience of no one on a planet of billions that walk."

Rappers regularly play the voice in the wilderness role. Nonetheless Timid manages to draw you in by being outspoken on not so much specific topics but life in general. The opening "Ready for It?" acts as a roll call for those who have not forgotten to "have a little fun with this hip-hop music." The souful, thumping beat creates a festive atmosphere, but Timid doesn't hesitate to dig a little deeper and address those caught "in that struggle between Kunta Kinte and Toby" with lyricism reminiscent of Talib Kweli:

"My aim is to gain, not just to maintain
cause lookin' at the same thing will drive me insane
whether it's a court yard or it's a front yard
bein' watched by a guard or havin' to watch your guard
bein' free to roam outside your cell or at home
Listen, with no direction it's still a life in prison
I'm not tryin' to be inmate number nothin'
followin' the path of some cat on the mic frontin'"

Frontin' is certainly not what Timid is about, not with his talent to convey intellectual substance in clever couplets. Whether it's personal motivation ("I feel optimism, so I opt for wisdom"), wordplay ("It's better to listen and not talk instead / cause you can't tax the income of wisdom, message to the feds"), stereotypes ("They got you thinkin' that the Sounds of Blackness / is the same as that of a round of a Gat click, like that's it"), social observations ("Boys and girls who grow to be hopefully socially correct / but are shown to be emotionally hopelessly inept"), or philosophical musings ("Some of that good old grandfather wisdom / don't pour it for my death, give me a cup while I'm livin'"), Timid has a way with words that reveals the experienced wordsmith. Best believe he ain't talking about no TV show when he says he "held up the lease" when Run asked, "Whose house?"

Currently operating out of NYC provided him with some serious industry connections, resulting in his involvement in upcoming releases distributed by Rawkus Records and an upcoming comeback album from Queens veteran Mikey D. Another benefit was being able to work with production legend Domingo, with whom Timid collaborates on one of the album's strongest cuts, "Bringing the Awe." Over a dramatically bubbling beat Timid makes it his mission to reinstall that feeling of awe spectacular hip-hop can inspire in us. "Too many think they can do it too," he frowns, calling out competition: "I'm talkin' to you slaves whose chains hang low," "fools walkin' around saggin' like they diaper's full," "confusin' amusement with love for them," "yappin' about makin' some hits, how 'bout makin' some sense?"

Here Timid brings a rare measure of maturity to the common hip-hop criticism, not just with intelligent lyrics but also with his authorative delivery. Not everyone who ever dug a rap tune might experience Timid's "Bringing the Awe" as a jaw-dropping moment, but anybody who ever felt touched by a rapper's reasoning will realize that Timid fights for hip-hop's soul: "It seems we wanna be cursed but I Used to Love H.E.R. words / so much I'm determined I'm gonna be the one bringin' the cure."

The most generally accessible offering on "No Time for the Jibba Jabba" would be "View from Afar," a Lotto-produced duet with singer Nyasha Foy exploring heartbreak. Conversely, the title track is decidedly underground, showing Timid in sarcastic mode, assuming the role of the inconvenient commentator who's "out to rock boats the size of the Titanic":

"Ignorance is no defense, it's not open to debate
cause if I get shot you better snitch, I rest my case
(...)
And since you really only listen to the chorus of a song
pretend the next eight bars are a hook and sing along
Bamboozle me no more, a willing victim? Hardly
Little darling, I'm here to stir it up like Bob Marley
(...)
Thought I was timid, I don't know what they told you
perhaps the FDA allowed steroids in my tofu
(...)
Check my Flavor clock and find out that it is
half past whatever these bastards are tellin' the kids
And forget Amtrak, they've got another train to catch
because the Underground Railroad is back on the tracks
(...)
And in case you didn't know that right there was the line
for New York DJ's to overplay like 1000 times
Fast-food forgettable music and lifestyles
still tryin' to be hood in a penthouse, stop it right now"

Knowing that he can get "a little too deep sometimes," Timid makes a conscious effort to infuse his not always easily digestible views on society with simplicity, sincerity and a heavy dose of soul. The best example might be "Travelin' Man," a unassuming, sparingly instrumentated, flute-led ode to not staying confined in one place but to strive for personal growth by way of seeing the world. The global perspective is shared by the musically pensive yet potent "Let Freedom Ring," a look at international politics from MLK's universal standpoint.

With George W. Bush's "four more years" coming to an end, Timid banks on the longevity of hip-hop as a vital counter-culture. The closing "30 More Years" possesses a nostalgic golden age slant but with the dedicated stance for hip-hop he takes throughout the album, Timid has every right to speak for us thirty-somethings who just can't let go of this music. Penning one of the most impeccable hymns to hip-hop in recent memory, he certainly deserves to have the last word with it:

"More songs to Roxanne, more letters to Yvette
more Needin' Love, showin' love and more housin' the set
more La-Di-Da-Di, cause we still likes to party
more two-step, kick step and movin' your body
more packin' the floor, more Bumrushin' the Door
more bein' too legit to quit, comin' back for some more
more politickin' when we're kickin' and givin' where we're livin'
more havin' faith in our culture like it was a religion
more lettin' 'em witness the strength of street knowledge
more wisdom in the rhythm and just more goin' to college
more of the past 30 years stakin' a claim and makin' a name
more of makin' a change and 30 more of the same"

Music Vibes: 7 of 10 Lyric Vibes: 8 of 10 TOTAL Vibes: 7.5 of 10 - RapReviews

Timid may be an atypical name for an MC who possesses rabid word skill and a keen ability to make words come to life, but shocking the populace with a moniker that means shy or nervous is just one facet of Timid’s gamut, “I wanted a name that was something different, that would surprise people, because my music is anything but Timid.”

And, astounding people is what Timid has been. “Growing up I used to write short stories and poems. I had a teacher tell me that my writing was good enough to be published. As an MC though, I had to learn to write with my own voice and that’s when it all came together for me.”

Although Timid is a New Yorker now, he moved around a lot as a kid and calls many places home. “I think I bring a different perspective and sound due to my background of living in places like Michigan, California, Hawaii, Florida, and now New York City.”

Miscellany is what sets Timid apart and the fact that he really has an original sound that’s un-canny. “I take more of a world view instead of a local view and approach to music and life.” Timid’s sound ranges from smooth to jazzy to musical to thought provoking to even a rawer vibe depending on the mood of the song, but says he always stays true to himself.

Although Timid is an MC first and foremost he is an accomplished producer and DJ. Timid also is the found of the website www.OneTwoOneTwo.com a Hip Hop based E-Zine that helps people network while keeping up with the latest Hip Hop news.

It’s safe to say Timid works hard at what he does, but he doesn’t think of it as a hustle. “Personally, I think there’s no real heart in a hustle, the only real purpose in a hustle is the hustle. I make sure I get out there and network with people and be as genuine as I can about what I do.” And Timid says that what he does is make great music with real lyricism and intelligence, true indeed.
- Street Masters Magazine