Rating:
  Release Date: October, 2006
  Website: Distrakt Website
  Label: Yard Rock Records LLC

Distrakt “Distraktions” Album Review 
I gotta be honest with you, man … I’m starting to get tired of some of these hip-hop kids. Those cats that make me go somewhere and take the time to download their albums; then demand status updates; then email me daily; often pressuring me to review their albums. Like I ain’t got a job or something.  

And then they get all sensitive and pushy when I don’t write a review or don’t rate their albums high enough … never taking the time to say thanks for taking the time. Like they don’t realize that this is all volunteer shit. It’s just “Me, me, me” from these muthafuckas, and I been getting tired of it lately.

Me, Me, Me
I guess the current state of technology and the hip-hop industry are making it harder for artists coming up. Anybody can make an album in their home recording studio these days, and distribute it digitally over the Internet for little investment. The market is overpopulated and often faceless. With this increased competition, hip-hop artists seem to be getting more business-oriented and less personal; more about “me” and less about “us.” Sometimes, I even feel like the underground is becoming a bunch of pushy salespeople trying desperately to get their music heard. And along with being demeaning, that shit is annoying for real.

Instead, I think artists would do better to establish real relationships with their fans. Last week, I received a package from an underground artist called Distrakt from Colorado Springs, which is just an hour and a half or so from where I live in Denver. It contained an entire press kit, a couple stickers, and a nice t-shirt to go along with the behind-the-scenes documentary video intended to give “rare glimpses into the world of Distrakt.” It was a bunch of cool and useful stuff yo, especially the documentary, because it made the act of reviewing the album fun by helping give the artist a real identity that I could relate to. And at the same time, the package helped me out a little …

Personalizing Hip-Hop
I own like thirty t-shirts. But I only like three or four of them, and I mainly sport the same shit weekly. So a nice new t-shirt is like the greatest thing you could give me. I rocked Distrakt’s tee a couple times in NYC, and this weekend when I got back.

Also, my car is one ugly ass grandma-looking ride . I got it from my grandparents and, ironically, I still haven’t been able to completely remove the nursing home parking sticker in the right rear inner windshield. So well-designed stickers are always a great way for me to accessorize.

And while we’re being real here, I ain’t got no social life, dogg . shit, why you think I sit here writing reviews all the time? I’ll take a documentary about a local hip-hop artist any day to help fill the void. Distrakt made my week yo, and showed me that not all hip-hop artists are turning into these “me, me, me” cats.

Mainstream hip-hop seems to revolve around these impersonal, image-based rap stars. But I think the underground, and hence the future of hip-hop, more revolves around locality, community, and a sense of connection, relation or identity between the artists and their fans. Distrakt has this approach, and did a great job gaining the attention of the HHL crew with simple extras that made a big difference.

But even better, the album, entitled “Distraktions,” turned out to be one of the hotter and most comprehensive underground releases of the year. The production is refreshingly original and energetic, and seems to mirror the mood of each song to fit the lyrics perfectly. The subject matter is broad and relative, and displays interesting range of vocabulary and structure. And I just like the way Distrakt flows, mixing Mos Def-ish baritone staccato vocals with creatively aggressive flow and pace. I’m now a member of large local following of Distrakt, which flows throughout many cities in the state of Colorado.

So check out Distrakt from the Springs and his exceptional self-produced release “Distraktions.”

I’m Broke, Beyotch!
And start sending me shit muthafuckas! Me, me, me. If you want your album reviewed, I need clothes, stickers and shit to watch on TV. I’M BROKE, BEYOTCH! Peace.