by Justin Smith

Juicy the Emissary takes you on a Sunday drive through the hip-hop multiverse.

When I think of Denton, I think of those miserable two years I spent getting my Master's in music performance. I also think of jazz musicians, Fry Street bars, and hippies. And I really don't like hippies. But thats just me. I guess I'm kind of jaded by my lone experience there. What I don't think about is hip-hop. Well, that has all changed.

I got The New World Renaissance Mixtape #1, by Juicy the Emissary last week and I have listened to it about five times. Juicy is a rapper with Vortexas out of Denton and he is also a producer for other artists around the country. The mixtape is exactly what it says it is. In the tradition of hip-hop artists of the past, the mixtape allows for a reworking of previously released material while also giving the producer some artistic license to put the music together into a new cohesive unit.

The thing that I like most about this CD is that it is one collective piece. It may have varying songs, but the mix is one continuous line throughout the whole CD. It's as if you are going on a journey with Juicy the Emissary through his cosmos, your guide pointing in different places for you to check out, groove to for a while, then move on to your next destination. I highly recommend this CD for a long trip, or anytime that you can sit back and just let the music take you away.

The album in general reminds me of a cross between early 1990's The Orb and De La Soul. It's trip hop influences are felt everywhere. There are no incredibly sharp edges because everything feels smoothed out. Even when beats are distorted for effect, for instance on L.I.G.H.T Crews' "Turn That Shit Up!" and L.O.N.E.'s "Fortified Funk," the flow of the rapper is so smooth that it still feels easy.

My favorite two tracks are Rrice DaGoldenGRAIN's “No No No,” and Solomon Infinite Abdullah's “Armeggedon.” “No No No” is a slightly bluesy take on hip-hop, revealing the southerness of Juicy's production roots. The beat is really nasty but there is even a gospel choir in the background to round out each verse. “Armegeddon” has an awe inspiring, thick kick beat and also uses a Middle Eastern hook played on the guitar.

After living in DFW for three years, I have finally gotten my very first taste of the hip-hop artists coming out of Denton. I just wished I had gotten to the table sooner.

You can check out Juicy and the crew from The New World Renaissance at Rubber Gloves this Saturday the 22nd.

What do you think?