Duck Down
Released 10/02/2012
Rating: 4.5 out of 5
Brooklyn has one hell of a reputation for producing great MCs. Kane, Biggie, Jay, Busta, Talib Kweli, and the list goes on. Skyzoo is on that list, and with every list, he further proves that he deserves to be mentioned alongside of the Brooklyn greats. Since dropping The Salvation, Sky has been on a tour de force of sorts, dropping Live From The Tape Deck, as well as outstanding mixtapes such as The Great Debater and most recently Theo vs. JJ. Not one to rest on his laurel’s, Sky’s back with his official follow up, A Dream Deferred which is a continuation of the story started on The Salvation.
With Jill Scott assisting on “Dreams In A Basement,” the LP kicks off like the opening credits of a feature film. The first single, “Jansport Strings” is a shout out to Skyzoo’s idol , the fresh-out Chi-Ali. The 9th Wonder-produced jam is vintage Skyzoo x 9th, but it only gets better from there. He keeps it BK with Pockets Full and invites Freeway along for the ride. “Give It Up” is dubstep-infused hip-hop courtesy of frequent collaborator !llmind, and even features DJ Prince (Skyzoo’s DJ) spitting bars. It sounds different from anything Sky’s ever put out, but it’s one of the dopest songs to drop this year.
The run continues as the LP continues, which stays cohesive throughout. Songs like “Range Rover Rhythm” and “The Knowing” are honest and well thought out. “Drew & Derwin” is a laid back lust/love story featuring the always-impressive Raheem Devaughn. Another standout joint, is the “Spike Lee Was My Hero” featuring aforementioned Brooklynite Talib Kweli, and they go in as expected.
To be honest, to even mention standouts is pointless, because they’re all great. The LP’s sequence is nearly seamless, as every track is perfect where it is. The instrumentation on a lot of the songs gives the LP a cinematic feel. Some of the songs may run a little longer, but that’ll be debatable depending on who’s listening. Bottom line, A Dream Deferred is an excellent LP.
