Ravipops (The Substance)

While he touches upon the same socially conscious topics labelmate Mr. Lif does, C-Rayz Walz comes from a refreshingly more personal and humble angle. Family, home life, and the day-to-day struggle are topics that show up on Ravipops, an album title that represents Walz's status as father to the newborn Ravi and a new alias for the rapper. A corrupt and oppressive world has often been a topic for underground rap; seeing it through the less self-centered eyes of a father is what gives the album its allure and makes Walz seem all the more genuine. Don't think Walz has bought his Cosby sweater and clamped down. He boasts, sings the praises of weed, and cusses all over the album, and his distaste for the status quo is obvious. It's his appreciation of life's simple pleasures that makes him easy to relate to and an underdog worth rooting for. There's a new producer for practically every track, but the album flows well enough, keeping things more traditional than expected for a Definitive Jux release, and the freestyling ranges from biting to abstract. The ode to domestic responsibility, "Protect My Family," and the nostalgic look at one of rap's brilliant years, "'86," are highlights, with raps that are focused and inspired. Walz's developing skills may not turn every head right away, but he sounds like he's on the road to releasing underground rap's What's Going On. ~ David Jeffries, Rovi