Ceelo Green's "Lady Killer" HIPHOP OR NOT ?

 

First and foremost, "F*** You!" was my favorite suprise hit of 2010. with that said, "Lady Killer" is one of my favorite albums of last year,maybe even the decade. Rather than a traditional album review, i opted to tackle a debate amongst both critics and the streets alike. that debate is: " Is Ceelo's new album hiphop?" To me, that question brings to mind both Lauryn Hill's "Miseducation" and Andre 3000's "The Love Below" respectively. The biggest arguments the naysayers have is that there's little to no rapping on these records. Those who approve the stamp of hiphop have a broader sense of understanding of the culture and conclude that the music is defined by the artist rather than the genre of music one creates. I personally lean towards the latter. Allow me to explain...Enter "Lady Killer"

The album opens with "It's alright"- a record that musically resembles Billie Jean ( i can see Michael Jackson smiling down from his ranch in the afterlife ) and already you can tell this is no Gnarles Barkley album,this is a more sinister mission. Make no mistake though, his Dungeon Family roots go deep and i can only wonder what a 3 Stacks/Green full length would sound like! Songs like "Old Fashioned" "Bodies" and "No One's Gonna Love you" are true soul records no doubt and Mr. Green even channels Luther vandross on "I Want You" . Peep game though, Salaam Remi ( Nas' Made You Look, Thief's Theme ) produced one of the album's most elaborate cuts of the collection. "Love Gun"not only sounds as it could've been recorded by Luther Ingram and The Charmells, it also shows how diverse hiphop producers really are. In that frame of thinking, those abilities have to, and will extend to the artist themselves. Whether Lauryn Hill is killing them softly with a song,rapping at the speed of light or reciting spoken word, it is still HipHop! Ever notice we call Mary j.Blige the Queen Of HipHop? , i have yet to hear her spit a bar :-) What do u think America? talk to me!