Overlooked: Journalist 103’s “Reporting Live” (Album Review) Posted by Dharmic X on 11/05/12 | Filed under Opinion, Album Reviews, Overlooked, The Journalist

A Note from Nathan S: So much new music comes out every week I can't possibly keep up with it all, even only the RefinedHype worthy-material. So the homie Dharmic X is going to be shining a spotlight on some dope albums that got "Overlooked".

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Detroit MC Journalist 103 released his solo debut LP, "Reporting Live", last Tuesday, via Babygrande Records. Prior to "Reporting Live", he was known for his role as the MC behind the unheralded trio The Left (which includes DJ Soko and producer Apollo Brown), whose album, "Gas Mask", was given critical acclaim when it released in 2010 by people such as the legendary DJ Premier. With the legacy of the group on the line in his solo endeavor, Journalist manages to maintain the same level of cohesiveness sonicaly that he did with only one producer while crafting a more concept-driven record.

When you have an artist whose name is “Journalist” and his project is called “Reporting Live,” you’re expecting music that serves as a form of journalism, and the Detroit rapper definitely makes it a priority to paint a picture of the environment around him in vivid detail. Take for example, the track “Moving 2 Fast.” On this track, Journalist details a tragic love that ends in betrayal and the consequences of getting oneself put in a predicament by rushing to make something happen. Another highlight is “3AM,” where the Detroit-bred rapper describes the ramifications of drug addiction from the perspective of family members, watching the vices cripple their structure and lead to ruin. The hook is powerful on this track, something you’d seldom say about an underground hip-hop track: “I remember it was three in the morning... Just to see her grab her coat and say ‘I’ll be back in the morning, I’ll stop using soon I promise.’”



In an era where street reporting has given way to ridiculous falsified stories and gimmicks, this dose of grounded, measured reality is refreshing, and delivered with a polished flow that is gritty and sharp. Journalist’s rhyming ability comes across as upper-echelon throughout the project, dropping lines such as “An inch from the flame escaping from Hell’s Kitchen” (“Do What I Do”) and “Lost my Precious, now I’m in a Smeagol mindframe as I try to move on.” (“Moving 2 Fast”) Now that’s a pretty dope Lord of the Rings reference for ya.

While Apollo Brown does produce one track on the album, an introspective collaboration with V Stylez and Eternia entitled “Where is the Love,” the rest of the album is cobbled together with a litany of producers, most of whom have built a decent reputation for themselves. Highlights on the project involve the ever-talented Oddisee, whose beautiful horns and driving bassline propel the record “Walk With Me,” an anthem for overcoming obstacles and also the perfect finish to the album, and rising triple-threat Audible Doctor, who laces up a straight banger in “Hear Me.” There is no denying that this is a boom-bap album done right, but in deviating from his work as a group, Journalist trades in some of Apollo’s vintage soul for a more complete journey, from the heavily gritty “Arson” to the guitar-laced standout “Do What I Do,” featuring Jack Freeman. No beat feels out of place on this album.



And surprisingly, neither do the features, which one might have expected after looking at the tracklisting. Freeway comes correct on his verse for “Danger,” delivering a memorable performance and contrasting well with Journalist’s flow and voice. Meanwhile, the aforementioned “Hear Me” is the perfect blend of East Coast, West Coast, and Midwest rap styles, as guests Fashawn and Saigon play well off of each other and off of Journalist. There is a shortage of guests, but there isn’t one who mails in a verse on this project, and in the interim, the Detroit rhymespitter can more than hold the listener’s attention with his weighty rhymes.

My only complaint about Reporting Live is the length of some of the records. This is a fifteen-song album that manages to clock in at under 45 minutes long. Many of the tracks off the project are well-under 3 minutes long. One could make the argument that even the shorter records are complete at two verses, but I could have used a third verse on a song like “3AM” for example. Still, this is one of the more cohesive bodies of work you will ever find your hands on, especially in 2012, and is definitely worth taking the time to check out.



PS: Three incredible albums dropped last week, which sucked because they all got overshadowed by Sandy and its consequences for me. That said, while you’ve all heard about "Mic Tyson" and I’ve taken the time to write about "Reporting Live", I thought I’d give a quick shout-out to the Juice Crew veteran Craig G, who dropped his comeback LP, "Ramblings of an Angry Old Man". With features such as Styles P, Chaundon, and Rapper Big Pooh and production from K-Salaam & Beatnick and Jake One, you can’t go wrong with this project.

See Also: The Immersion: “Losing Out” With Black Milk

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