Israel West
Hiphop Skateboard 101
Self-Released
Street: 12.27.11
Israel West = Nottz + Timbaland + Lostribe
My only real complaint with this album by local hip hop artist Israel West is how hard the vocals are to hear on some of the best songs.  They often sound like they were recorded in a shower, or from down a hallway and the beats totally overwhelm them. These beats are huge, deep bass and synth with rattley glitch drums—like a lot of other stuff these days, but overall very useful for when rolling in Escalades and such.  There’s quite a few “bitches” and “gangsta,” but the hooks on “Going Crazy” and “Beat It Down” are radio-worthy for sure, with the appropriate bleeps over all the swears.  I wish the personality of the various emcees had come out more, but as it was, I could barely tell who was who.  Let’s hear a remastered effort—I’d pick it up.