GRITS (Redemption) - Reviews

GRITS
Redemption

GRITS are celebrating their tenth year anniversary in the rap game, with Coffee and Bonafide showing a resilience that many simply do not have. The duo drop Redemption, a collection of Dirty South swagger, bonafide (!) hip hop and ministry to those who think they are hopeless.

"We Workin" grabs attention with a “Lean Wit It, Rock Wit It" feel, but GRITS explain that they are ready to go deeper as fishers of men. Pigeon John shows up on the cleverly put "Open Bar" and lays down a nice 16-bar verse. NYSE sets the track and some nice synth rhythms while GRITS provide a hook that encourages everyone to partake of Christ's living water.

Get crunk with a new anthem for the south, "Tight Wit These", featuring Duval's own, Iz. Coffee kills his verse with some rapid-fire spitting that, combined with Iz's slow yet aggressive flow, will generate many repeats. Check out Bonafide's versatile delivery on "We Ride".

On “Soul Cry", featuring Annie Peters, GRITS paints a vivid picture of the lost and hurting folks in this world that need Jesus. NYSE provides the right beat to compliment Peters' eerie delivery. Kene "Ghost" Bell provides the Hip Hop 101 beat while GRITS and Canibus deliver some nice flows on "Soul Ambition".

Nostalgia fills the room when "Memories" gets played. Bonafide and Coffee each tell of the joys of their childhood over an R&P laced track courtesy of NYSE. Pigeon John shows up again on "You Said" featuring Bonafide's kids on the hook. This uptempo jam is catchy and Pigeon John's singing/rappin style is always a joy to listen to even when he is just being silly.

With Redemption, GRITS are poised to do what many fear is impossible in holy hip hop: be a commercial success while not isolating the church community.

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Production: Various album release date: December, 2006
Gotee Records

— reviewed by Dwayne Lacy —