Perfecting Perfection

Mix a little bit of jazz with a dash of funk, a pinch rhythm and blues, and last but not least the illest of Jay-Z lyrics and you've got yourself one of the best rap albums to hit the streets. Kev Brown certainly had this in mind when he made his new, unreleased "Brown Album."

On "The Brown Album" Brown takes Jay-Z's lyrics from the "Black Album" and puts them to jazz and blues beats, giving the music a more relaxed feel than the original album's raw and rugged touch. Jay-Z hasn't sounded like this since he performed with the Roots on MTV Unplugged -- and it's good.

Although the "Brown Album" doesn't feature a band, the sound manages to maintain a "live-band" feel. This quality is definitely a result of sophisticated sampling and it avoids artificial drum machine beats mixed with sounds from a cheesy synthesizer. The high level of musicianship is evident throughout the album.

Brown did an amazing job remaking the "Black Album" songs. The best song on "The Brown Album" is "99 Problems," a revamped single from the "Black Album." While the track was great to begin with, the Brown's remake is even better. His rendition is a jazz-rock-funk-rap fusion with a funky bass line groove. It is further enhanced by subtle hand drum beats and Latin sounding trumpets during the chorus.

"The Brown Album" version of "Dirt Off Your Shoulder," also a single on the "Black Album," is equally innovative. The remix sounding nothing like the original.

To bring it a little closer to home, the original version of "Dirt Off Your Shoulder" would be appropriate to listen to while belligerently getting down in the basement of a frat. Brown's version, on the other hand, would be better suited to play when maturely wooing a potential date.

This mellowness carries through the entire album. "The Brown Album" is easy listening that isn't too intrusive. This album is a perfect compromise for those who have a hard time listening to traditional rap. Brown's sampling gives the songs an identifiable melody, an element not found in most rap songs. The music should be agreeable to just about anyone, even those with the most discriminating musical taste.

Unfortunately, with a mere nine tracks (including an intro), "The Brown Album" does not contain all the songs from "The Black Album." However, despite this minor shortcoming, "The Brown Album" and its talented creator deserve recognition. Brown made an already great album even better.