Posted: Monday 4th August 2008

Reviewed by Matt Ojar

Hurricane Chris is a new young rapper from Louisana creating a mini storm. The storm has gained momentum enough that people actually have time to comment on him. His lead single from the Album is the mildly infectious A Bay Bay haven’t heard of it? You wouldn’t be alone. From the boasting and semi success Hurricane Chris has had, you may be under the impression that there is something about Hurricane Chris that is uniquely different or refreshingly talented. Maybe not, unfortunately with the downturn in the Industry, and particularly the ‘popping’ of the Urban genres, Hip-Hop has become watered down. Hurricane Chris is a typical example of this‘new skool’ Hip-Hop. Lots of style and very little substance. Unfortunately success in 2008 does not constitute artistic credibility, lyrical skill or substance or unique untapped talent. Essentially club bangers dictate ‘new skool’ Hip-Hop, songs people can rock and lean with. Basically songs that if you consume enough alcohol you can appreciate because you can still stick with the beat. To tell the truth I am not against New Skool Hip-Hop, I appreciate it is a new generation’s experession. It is just worrying from the Hiatus of 90s Hip-Hop that we have now entered into the early 21st Century with things taking a decided step back as the Industry is sucked for what it is worth.

Now don’t get me wrong, Hurricane Chris is not the worst of ‘new skool’ Hip-Hop. He is nowhere near as bad as Soulja Boy, he has a greater lyrical ability and a better flow. To describe Hurricane Chris’ style can be difficult, the most accurate description would be something in between Soulja Boy and T.I. (a young not as talented version of T.I). Hurricane Chris has plenty of Southern swagger, but not much of anything else. From his lyrics on his Album you can tell that Hurricane Chris feels he is something revolutionary, he creates his own slang and refers to himself as set apart from the rest of the Industry (New Fashion). In reality it’s all been done before particularly with the subject matter, cars, clothes and loose girls have all been covered. Further to that guns, drugs, drink and being a bad man have also been covered. Hip-Hop is inundated with these subject matters, it is quite boring particularly when it is delivered in the usual Southern style with the same choppy beats. Hurricane Chris’ lyrical repertoire consists mainly of the above stated subjects barring Momma and Touch Me (which you can guess the subject matter). Also a couple of references to his incarcerated or previously incarcerated Father. There are few stand out moments in this album. Hurricane Chris does try, but the truth is the album is pretty uneventful.

The best moments lie with The Hand Clap, Touch Me, A Bay Bay (remix), Playas Rock and Momma. Two are club tracks, and Touch Me is a simple day in the life of a wannabe playa and how Hurricane Chris is going to get down and dirty with his newest victim. For me it is only his swagger which makes the song as it is pretty generic. Getting Money a generic hustling, ‘getting money is all I know’ sort of thing, this is the intro to the Album and pretty much epitomizes 51/50 Ratchet’s mentality. Probably one of the worst songs is Doin My Thang, nice beat, but the same generic talk of clothes, drinks and ‘being off the chain’. Other songs talk about war like Do Something and Bang again nothing particularly revolutionary there. Hurricane Chris does have some sort of X factor though that makes him illogically interesting. Maybe it’s his delivery or his swagger, but there is something that makes it just above average.

Hurricane Chris is not going to change the Hip-Hop game. He has a unique look and a semi unique swagger which sets him apart. But the reality of Hurricane Chris’ style is that it’s not new and it’s not original. Unfortunately maybe this is what consumers want, throwaway albums, flash in the pan hit music. With the decline in the Album it is some wonder why people throw them to together when they are produced with either such a lack of quality consistency from beginning to end, or a high level of monotonous consistency like a lot of ‘new skool’ Hip-Hop. If this is what Hip-Hop has to offer than maybe well and truly Hip-Hop isn’t dead, it is just seriously wounded with a Terminal disease. Maybe an untasteful comparison, but so is 12-13 tracks of boasting about the ghetto’s ‘finer’ things in life. Essentially Hurricane Chris and modern Hip-Hop is becoming a cliché of themselves. Hip-Hop is starting to play right into the stereo types. Ghetto music is not a particular group it is a state of mind. Essentially a person’s individual response to Hurricane Chris’ 51/50 Ratchet is based upon what you want out of an Album. If you want a couple of couple tunes, mixed with some boast ridden songs, if you also like songs about a round the way boy’s experience of girls and a song about this person’s Mother then you may just like 51/50 Ratchet. If you like most like a bit more depth to their music then Hurricane Chris’ 51/50 Ratchet is one to steer clear of. Deep lyrics and Hip-hop credibility will not be found here. Early 20s and I feel as though I am in a different generation, if this is what the kids like, where is the hope for future Hip-Hop. A worrying state of affairs, definitely a luke warm album, shining points are New Fashion, Touch Me, Playas Rock, Momma and A Bay Bay Remix. Generic but slightly different is the best way to describe Hurricane Chris. Surprisingly infectious if not great or revolutionary music.