Album Review: K. Sparks – ‘Self Portrait’
Artist: K. Sparks
Album: Self Portrait
Label: Independent
Street Date: 7/2/13
Genre: Christian Hip hop
iPod Pick: Strong
Mood rap music is a tricky genre that is bound to bring exclusion even amongst dedicated lovers of music even Hip hop. From old school Coolio and Tupac Shakur and recent names like Wiz Khalifa, Kendrick Lamar and our very own Sho Baraka (of cause , the Talented 10th project) we’ve seen such rappers in fact gather a crowd even in mainstream circles. Welcome K.Sparks, even from the album art, it’s really reflective and that’s okay.
On Queens we hear the Arabian hip hop beat reminiscent of Truth Hurts’s ‘Addicted’ with sparse word. Also on Queens, K. Sparks shares a bit about the production journey of this project. Telling how he put out an original song every Monday for a year. This sure explains the artistry refinement experienced on this album.
Black Kids Black Guns in sound is like something about to explode but keeps coming back to its original form, This would hold you till the end of the song thinking ‘what’s next?’. And we hear the epic line ‘frenemies are also enemies’ on this very track. Hmmm. We like.
On the interlude Material Girl creativity shines through as a beautiful picture is painted with just words and sound. You would totally love the pseudo-oriental backdrop tune on Real Eyes, Realize, Real Lies. It gets jazzy, slows down and picks up again. It is bound to evoke some ambience in a room. Lovers of power-pumped independent anthems from ladies like Keri Hilson, Rita Ora, Jade Harrell, Keyshia Cole and the new made-over sexy Brandy (For whatever in the world happened to her on Two-Eleven) would be proud of Special which features the amazing and groovy voiced Tina Quallo. We hear Nat King Cole’s L.O.V.E play in the background as K. Sparks speaks up on the interlude What is Love? Not to give it all off in its complex entirety, here’s what I think.
For K. Sparks ‘Self Potrait’ the music is rich. With crazy new hooks, twists and turns, you would have to listen again and again to soak it all in. And maybe the second time around the depth of what he has to say would hit you. It’s a total package. Lovers of full room rap like Tupac Shakur, UK rapper S.O, Coolio, new comers Kendrick Lamar, Wiz Khalifa and the unashamedly bold and different Customary have a new favorite. A standing ovation for K.Sparks.
