   |
|
 Holy Culture
—John “The Tonic” Wells of The Cross Movement The Cross Movement is back with another self-defining set. Many acknowledge them as being gospel hip hop’s most respected crew, a Philly foursome of massively talented individual artists (Ambassador, Tonic, Phanatik and T.R.U.-L.I.F.E.) who together synergize to deliver the Gospel that is both true to scripture and true to their art form.  Taken as a whole, Holy Culture is a rhapsody of four minds (plus some), collaborating to breathe life into those that are weary. The Cross Movement adheres to the mission and unashamedly lifts the name of Christ while consciously living in a world influenced by hip hop and representing well.With Holy Culture, their fourth excursion, they deliver a 21-tracker, pronouncing unadulterated truth to all will heed. All four MCs feature prominently, with the added bonus of the affiliated DJ Official as well as several other guests. The style is rooted in that East Coast flava, with notable excursions into styles such as Dirty South and frequent shades of R&P. The curtain lifts on the album to reveal the title cut, "Holy Culture", featuring Phanatik. Possessing a reggae-infused beat, this is the perfect opener that provides the thesis to lay down the theme of not only this project, but the purpose of The Cross Movement. The project then unfolds into a myriad of hip hop wonders. Is it musical genius, lyrical theology or deep, bow-on-your-knees, God-inspired scripture-based wisdom? It’s all of that.  CM exhales life on cuts such as the echoing "Forever", coined by Tonic as "an anthem to all men that this life isn't where it's at; it's the next one that counts." Ambassador flexes his vocal skills on the chorus of "Free" while the piano rides with his incomparable word play and production from RockSoul's Lee Jerkins."Cry No More", previously featured on the urban soundtrack for the movie, Left Behind II: Tribulation Force, is a message of hope that urges all to keep their eyes on what's real, incorporating soulful singing hooks. “When I Flow (It’s Gospel)” features a saucy flow and comes packaged with beats courtesy of Jerkins again, making it nearly impossible to forget. Those with a taste for somthing a little hotter will check in on "Start Somethin'" and "Rise Up". Both wear that Dirty South mantle and are sure heatrocks and jeep bangers for the summer, each selection saturated with compelling and combustible beats. T.R.U.-L.I.F.E. delivers on “Times Table”, packing a monstrous sound that pounds as he examines what eternal life really costs. Prominent production associate DJ Official even samples his abilities on a 42-second spill chronicling the career of The Cross Movement.  On the album closer “Eternal Cypha”, invitations were answered by T.R.U.T.H., J-Silas, Todd Bangz, R-Swift and Flame, who join with the CM foursome to rattle minds and speakers, with DJ Official producing the whole.How to sum up a masterpiece? Dare we even try? This entire album is drenched with originality and offers something for all to vibe to. It redefines the essence of hip hop, bringing it back into perspective, stirring hearts and minds and letting God use it to impact lives in the process. In the words of yet another notable track on the album (“In Not Of”), Tonic confirms that "the Lord didn't call us to be removed from the culture; therefore, The Cross Movement is striving to infiltrate the culture with the message of God's holiness." Cross Movement Records / BEC Recordings — review by Stan North and Brenda Ingram—
All content in GospelFlava © copyright 2003. No information to be reprinted or re-broadcast from this site without the expressed written consent of GospelFlava.com. All rights reserved. |
            
|