The first thing you need to understand about Copywrite is that he's a punchline emcee. His lyrical priority is in developing good battle rhymes to drop on opposing emcees in a freestyle cipher (i.e., "I don't blame you for being wack, I blame your fans for feeling you"), and as such, his subject matter revolves around how he's the best, and that a generalized 'you' really, really sucks. While punchline emcees are great when can witness the physical manifestation of their verbal jabs onstage, they often fall somewhat flat on full-lengths. Part of this limited appeal can be attributed to the fact that, in a freestyle cipher, the joy comes from hearing the emcees' takes on their immediate environment, whether that be an opposing emcee's demeanor or dress, or just something that's happening in the audience. On record, though, punchline emcees can't draw the audience in with these references. The better battlers either expand their thematic palette or use quirky wordplay to compensate, while the less talented often rely upon offensive cliches and endless boasts to draw their audience into the song. Unfortunately, Copywrite falls into the latter category with his debut, The High Exhaulted.
A big problem with The High Exhaulted is that there's little lyrical distinction between songs. Line after line, verse after verse, we're bombarded with testimony regarding Copywrite's lyrical skills. After several spins of this disc, the only thing I know about Copywrite is that he's the greatest (because he's told us so) and that he really likes to fuck 'bitches.' He doesn't sprinkle his rhymes with astute social observations and his tone is generally more aggressive and insulting than it is humorous.
The High Exhaulted's production, supplied by the incredibly hot RJD2, The High & Mighty's Mighty Mi, and Def Jukie Camu Tao, essentially makes this record a tolerable affair. And it must be said that Copywrite does successfully break through his braggadocio veneer briefly on the song "June" (previously released on RJD2's Dead Ringer). But it's the only occasion, and even that winds up feeling more like a teaser for what should've been. It's also of interest to note that a good portion of The High Exhaulted has been previously released on either singles or compilations, and it generally clicked better in that format. In short spurts, the humor can work; it's just that over the course of an album, the subject matter quickly grows redundant, and as Copywrite's boasts pile up without much proof to back up his claims, they become meaningless.
