CD Review: Bobby Digital, Digi Snacks
Aug 5, 2008 4:23 PM
Having earned his rep with
the stark Wu-Tang Clan soundscapes, and furthering it as the sonic mastermind
behind soundtracks for Kill Bill, Ghost Dog, Afro Samurai and others, RZA is still a trusted purveyor of
rattling, kung-fu beats, but his latest solo effort relies too much on
well-covered ground to stand out from the crowd. Billed as "Another
classic tale of the dangers and benefits of drugs," RZA spits his rhymes
from the street-power-obsessed perspective of his Bobby Digital persona and
struggles with his own good and evil impulses throughout Digi Snacks.
The familiar subject
matter doesn't stop RZA's laconic flow from having an impact at times, and high
points like the slow-rolling "Try Ya Yi Ya" and the lively
"Don't Be Afraid to Call My Name" get the job done in different ways.
While the David Banner–produced "Straight Off the Block" provides
some crunk rumble, other beats feel familiar immediately as RZA signatures show
up throughout. Lead single "You Can't Stop Us Now" even uses a beat
and chorus previously employed by King Geedorah (aka MF Doom) on
"Anti-Matter" and repurposed for "Undeniable" by Mos Def.
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