RSSMIKE/Wiki/The Alchemist [extended]
- Arca [YB Music, 2016] ***
- Flecha [YB Music, 2016] *
- Half God [Wikset Enterprises, 2021] A-
- Faith Is a Rock [ALC, 2023] B+
See Also:
Consumer Guide Reviews:
Iara Rennó: Arca [YB Music, 2016]
Second-generation sambista gathers all-female ensemble for rock-tinged, salt-flavored reflections on her artistic heritage that can now be downloaded free from her website ("Mama-Me," "Sonâmbula," "O Que Me Arde") ***
Iara Rennó: Flecha [YB Music, 2016]
Whatever it signifies, it's the second and less musically pointed of two linked mini-albums that translates "arrow," where the first is "bow" ("Ritmo de Moçada," "Se Amanhence") *
Wiki: Half God [Wikset Enterprises, 2021]
"Your favorite rapper's favorite rapper's poster child," Upper West Side-raised and Park Slope-based with a crucial Lower East Side stopover, it's no wonder borderline nerdy Patrick Morales appropriated his hip-hop handle from an encyclopedia. He favors "little bit of me"-"literally"-"gripped my knee" and "consciousness"-"consequences"-"competence" rhymes, and on the ideological front opposes "buying from the bougie boutique instead of from the guys." Be sure not to miss "Never Fall Off," which samples a pop-gospel oldie called "I Fell in Love With God" that sure sounds like Thom Bell to me and piles on Delfonics-style romanticism to match. Inspirational Verse: "Then one day I realized what I wanna say/But it only came out right when I was on the mic." A-
Faith Is a Rock [ALC, 2023]
His trademark mutter more grumble than mumble, upper-case-as-opposed-to-upper-class rapper MIKE proves a suitable foil for or even corrective to atmospheric beatmaker-cum-concertmaster the Alchemist. But what's striking about both MIKE and Wiki is that they neither brag much or pretend they've got the world at their command--even the one they could easily enough pretend was theirs. They smoke their spliffs or down their 40s and report that both have a way of dulling their minds. They like and respect the women they may lust after and may not. Both the more metaphysical rapper and the more down-to-earth one see themselves as works in progress and are more than halfway to fulfilling their respective ambitions. Which doesn't mean they're anything but dismayed that New York's mayor is a cop they believe with excellent reason isn't half the man either of them is. B+