Soul Position

Here's an MC boast so frank, it's hilarious: "In this corner, the undisputed champs of hip-hop — RJD2 on the beats, Blueprint on the rhymes—versus everything that sucks about music in the opposite corner." But it's no joke: Soul Position's second LP is a stone classic. It's not just that...

By Andrew Marcus

April 27, 2006

Audio By Carbonatix

[
        {
          "name": "GPT - Billboard - Slot Inline - Content - Labeled - No Desktop",
          "component": "16971022",
          "insertPoint": "2",
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "2"
        },{
          "name": "STN Player - Float - Mobile Only ",
          "component": "18617832",
          "insertPoint": "2",
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "2"
        },{
          "name": "Editor Picks",
          "component": "15769925",
          "insertPoint": "4",
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "1"
        },{
          "name": "Inline Links",
          "component": "16575154",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 8,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "7",
          "maxInsertions": 25
        },{
          "name": "GPT - Rectangle 2x - Slot Auto-select - Labeled",
          "component": "15782206",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 8,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "7",
          "maxInsertions": 25
        },{
          "name": "Inline Links",
          "component": "16575154",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 12,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "11",
          "maxInsertions": 25
        },{
          "name": "GPT - Leaderboard to Tower - Slot Auto-select - Labeled",
          "component": "15782207",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 12,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "11",
          "maxInsertions": 25
        }
      ]

Here's an MC boast so frank, it's hilarious: "In this corner, the undisputed champs of hip-hop — RJD2 on the beats, Blueprint on the rhymes—versus everything that sucks about music in the opposite corner." But it's no joke: Soul Position's second LP is a stone classic. It's not just that Blueprint is so damned sharp, conversational, and in the pocket, though RJD2's honest funk confections could be trampled by a lesser MC. In Blueprint's hands, the brassy coke-spoon disco of "Priceless" makes an ironic backdrop for a message of lifestyle humility: "I got a '92 MPV, my radiator leaks, but at least it's mine," he raps. "You got a brand-new Range Rover, but it's rented, so you gotta have it back Monday morning at 9." With skeptical observations of human nature ("got some free love and ended up in the free clinic"), "I'm Free" is about 40 I.Q. points smarter than the two famous rock songs by the same name. By the time you get to the second-to-last track, "Drugs, Sex, Alcohol, Rock-n-roll," the album's cautionary tone does sound preachy. But if Things Go Better with RJ and AL isn't the hip-hop album of the year, it'll be one hell of a year.

Andrew Marcus

A message from Associate Editor Jose D. Duran: If you value independent journalism, please consider making a contribution to support our continued coverage of Miami's music, events and entertainment scenes.

Support Today