When you think of rappers dropping out from their comrades and venturing out solo usually it means break up and never forming “Voltron” again. But when it comes to the evidence of this nobody does it better lyrical than “Mr. Slow Flow” and when I heard about a new joint from Evidence (of Dilated Peoples) I sat back and enjoyed the notion because of the dopeness of his debut “The Weatherman” and now with his prelude to his next full length which is entitled “The Layover”. Most cats don’t have skills to produce and spit let alone do both in this over done times we live where everything sounds alike. When you hear Evidence spit along side The Alchemist, Blu, Phonte of Little Brother and others you see the progression of a lyricist and a emcee.
And when you hear the hard funky, eerie, dope cut n scratched cut that opens the EP as yes the title track “The Layover” is littered with the west coast influence and ill drum programming that has Evidence reflecting over life and people that doubt him. Even when you hear the dope collaboration between Evidence and others on the EP such as
For Whom the Bell Tolls (feat. Blu, Phonte of Little Brother, will.i.am) and with songs like this you see Evidence’s progression to hang so tightly with cats that rip as well as he does, which is something I admire. And one of the more innovative songs and videos accompanying it The Far Left (feat. Fashawn, The Alchemist) because of how in sync their flows are it’s ill to hear it and then to view the video gives it another level to what the song is saying (which are always open to interpretation).
Which ever you love about Evidence whether it be his production or his rapping you cannot deny this cat because he’s a seasoned vet that majority of the mainstream hasn’t even heard yet. When it comes to underground hip hop Evidence and his friends all push the envelope and “The Layover EP” are all evidence of the forward progression of hip hop. Overall I’m giving this joint a 4 out of 5 stars because of the pure dopeness this EP gives off.
This album gives you a feel of what hip hop use to sound like. There is no skips (besides Interlude), and there really isn't any average tracks either. Production is nice too.
Top 3: For Whom The Bell Tolls (fav), So Fresh (Step Brothers), Far Left
EP Grade: (4/5) A-
Incredible ep from Ev. Cats & Dogs is gonna be great and Weatherman LP was one of the best if not the best of 07 w/ Hell Razah's albums. Can't wait for another dilated album though.
this is banger, this is perfect example how EP should look like:
1. almost all songs are bangers. beats,mc's,lyrics etc. alllll good.
2. dvd with shitloads of videos
3. super design of whole package, buklet,cd/dvd, photos.
this release was briliant. imho.
add few more tracks and it would be whole bangin album.
very solid EP.
ps: oh and EV rokin Ghostafce t-shirt in one pic in buklet
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