Note: Black Ice (born Lamar Manson) appeared in five seasons of HBO’s Russell Simmons Presents Def Poetry and starred in the Broadway show Def Poetry Jam. The Death of Willie Lynch is his debut hip hop album.
Sound: His exceptionally articulate and inspiring lyrics flow over a variety of styles (stark, Eastern-inspired, Wu-Tang-esque; uplifting De La Soul/A Tribe Called Quest-esque; slick r&b jamming; hard-hitting/club banging)
Look For: “The Ugly Show,” his critical look at the U.S. government’s mishandling of Katrina and the lives it affected. It features a sped-up sample of Rose Royce’s “Love Don’t Live Here Anymore.”
Heavy Rotation tracks: “The Ugly Show” (Top 20 Songs of 2006 Candidate); “Front Page”; “Hoodwatch!!”
Medium Rotation tracks: “The Real“; “The Path”; “A Dream Transferred”
Recommended: If you’re looking for an MC/poet with the gift and desire to enlighten, empower and affect change. The Death of Willie Lynch is a noteworthy debut album that could have been even better if it didn’t feel so musically disjointed. The message is never lost, but the frequent and sudden shifts in mood can get distracting.
Grade: A- (Top 20 Albums of 2006 Candidate)

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