MR. LIF, ‘I HEARD IT TODAY’ – BLOODBOT TACTICAL ENTERPRISES

Mr. Lif’s albums have always served up a reflective and socially-conscious dose of hip-hop and ‘I Heard It Today’ is no different. This is Lif’s first full album for a few years, since a major tour bus accident left him with life threatening injuries in 2006.

But now the Boston-based MC is back in full force and – in his own words – hopes to “inspire increased conversation with the important topics” he broaches on his latest album. Moreover, ‘I Heard It Today’ comes in a period when the kind of social awareness hip-hop usually thrives on is in short supply – a time when it should arguably be rampant.

The album spans a range of contemporary US political issues, from the effect of the economic crisis on “Welcome To The World” and “What About Us,” to the conflict between Barack Obama and Jeremiah Wright on “Heads High.”

While it could be easy to let the beats and production slink away behind the lyrical content, the raw production delivers a true organic hip-hop sound that you would come to expect from a rapper of Lif’s calibre. His unique sound complements the jazzy drum breaks particularly well on the electro-inspired title track and his flow is on point throughout.

The album’s available now on Mr Lif’s own Bloodbot Tactical Enterprises label and check out an exclusive interview with the man himself in issue 03 of Bonafide.

Louis Soul