★★★★✩
by itzdadiabolical
In the wake of many racially charged occurrences
in America, hip-hop (along with many other things) has been more vocal about
overcoming racial barriers. The music has been used as a means to display pride
and rich culture that’s impossible to hide. That being said, nothing is more
topical than the album “Free Lunch”. Free Lunch expresses hunger, self-love, and
a passion to fight injustice with the will of a warrior king. Benjamin Starr
reveals his self, his passion, his mic skill, his pride, his culture, and his
versatility in this project.
BEATS: ★★★✩✩
For
much of the album, Starr’s voice and the music complement one another
perfectly. He’s shown to have a keen ear for beats. Teaming up with Rill
Williams and ManHe for a good chunk of the album, they seem to be comfortable
with one another’s styles. However, Starr shows he can bump with other
producers, like fellow South Carolinians Danny Dee and Joel Brown. In “Wonderful
Love”, Starr’s bluntly stated chorus is “woman, you’re wonderful”. With the
following sax notes jumping for joy, he plants the seed of profound admiration
for this woman. “Grace” is reminiscent of a fashion of holy hip-hop tracks. The
thumping bass, horns, and opera choir gives it the epic sound of going to war.
The album has overall good and enjoyable production.
LYRICS: ★★★★✩
Starr’s lyrical prowess thrives in its variety as
much as anything else. He shows art in expression with his spoken word pieces,
but he also displays a battle-rap reminiscent wit, impressive wordplay, and
cinematic storytelling. The evidence is laid bare throughout the album, from
the tales in “Mirrors” to the clothing-related wordplay in “Tuxedos”. The pair “Within,
Her” and “Within, Him” show how deep, reflective, and thought provoking his
lyrics can be; as they manage to be compelling acapella. Meanwhile, he can also
send you a barrage of bars like in “Allah”.
CONTENT:
★★★★★
This is where this album shines brightest. As
indicated by the album cover, Free Lunch is a montage of Afrocentrism. “Movies”
is an elegantly-stated listing of people and incidents related to police
brutality, civil rights, and black art. “Play me the truth, and let me groove
with it”. Starr consistently and boldly delivers defiance towards prejudices
and stereotypes throughout this album. This along with his everpresent
reverence for his roots and culture gels the album together.
Free Lunch is as much about Starr himself as it
is anything else, though. He expresses
his faith on “Seventh” along with other songs throughout the album. In
“Seventh” as well as “Tuxedos” he details his struggles to succeed and become
greater. “Wonderful Love” is a celebration of a love through both hard and good
times. Starr gives listeners himself going through many downs, but still
withholds the personality of a man standing tall. Such gives him a charisma,
and makes you feel close to him beyond being a “rap activist” in a manner of
speaking.
OVERALL: ★★★★✩
Starr’s quote on this album sums it up perfectly.
It represents not only an evolved hip-hop artist, but an evolved black man. The
versatility in sounds, subjects, and skill that this album shows along with the
personality and passion make it a modern masterpiece. Free Lunch is an
enjoyable and compelling album from front to back and it has a strong sense of
purpose. Any fan of hip-hop should love
this album.
Frozen.
Read the full version at itzdadiabolical.com
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