Hip-Hop Island

Kanye ain't the only one who has beef with George W., upstate New York's hip-hop collective Cypher: Dissident's bringin' down the man with their latest self-titled album. Joining up with producers Smitty and Cappel, famed for their Biggie and Sinatra mix Blue Eyes meets Bed Stuy, Aytiayt, Prof. NYCE, and JR, Cypher:Dissident brings a flow that'll make anyone's head bounce. And if that wasn't enough, these emcees throw their words around like fists -- these lyrics will keep ya up at night. From the current state of hip-hop, to Big Brother always watching over, Cypher is startin' a revolution and battling on the front lines. Are you ready for the fight?

On the Smitty and Cappel-produced "The Flow," Cypher reminds current hip-hoppers "life ain't all about jewelry, hoes, and murdering," and challenge all those "whack emcees and whack producers making those whack beats" to put some intellect back into hip-hop. Over a superhero-anthem-like-beat, Cypher promises to bring hip-hop back to the streets on "Planet Hip Hop". Conscious hip-hop has fallen into the dark underground, but these emcess shouts loud to get their point across. Not straying from their strong leftist ideals, Cypher attacks America's obsession with commercial value on "Econ 101."

Eerie sounds of plane crashes, police sirens, and explosions fill the background as Cypher relives 9/11 in "New World Anthem." Emcees E.Rich, Ed Wordz, Jayhigh, Rev1, Rising Sun and DJ Double A rip up the mic with their heavy flow and wild insurgency. Using hip-hop to revolt against everyone and anything holding them down, Cypher takes on the Bush Administration and asks America to "lock 'em up and throw away the key" on "Citizen's Arrest." This is music that'll make you think (and dance a little).

Originally published @ http://www.collegeclub.com/article/view/2905