East Coast headknock-rap needs its own DJ Khaled apparently, and Massachusetts DJ/producer Statik Selektah is that person. Just like the Miami loudmouth, Statik has a nice thing going, consistently releasing surprisingly enjoyable, guest-crammed compiations. Some crucial differences, though. Unlike Khaled, Statik mostly avoids screaming bullshit all over his own tracks. I'll also take Termanology, Statik's personality-free rapping protégé, over Ace Hood, Khaled's personality-free rapping protégé. And even though most of them are trapped in either major-label limbo or indie-label hell, Statik's guests generally sound like they're having more fun than the gazillionaires on the Khaled albums.
Stick 2 the Script, Statik's sophomore effort, might not make too many year-end lists, but two-thirds of it provides a remarkably solid listen-- thanks in large part to Statik's production. Statik's beats are mostly Premier-inspired boom-bap, which nobody seems to do well anymore. But Statik knows what he's doing: scratchy choruses, chopped-up drums, occasional flourishes of horn or guitar. Lead single "To the Top (Stick 2 the Script)" has a weird cut-up hotel-jazz beat that somehow stays propulsive because of those drums. The State Property half-reunion "All 2gether Now" has a great little ominous churn with fuzzed-out synth-squeals over the top. And even the token Houston-rap track "Get Out the Way" stays with the boom-bap blueprint rather than shooting for imitation Rap-A-Lot house production. In fact, the only time Statik leaves his wheelhouse is on the G-funk experiment "Cali Nights", which is sort of a disaster.
As for the guests, there's a big divide between the veterans who've actually had radio play and the new-jack torch-carriers destined for obscurity. Older guys like Redman or CL Smooth have an innate understanding of how to mix technical skill with big-room charisma. Jadakiss murders "For the City" with matter-of-fact coldness: "Bullets, gunsmoke, and cocaine residue/ Leave me the fuck alone, that's what you better do." The State Property guys, who were flirting with stardom just a few years ago, come particularly animated, especially Peedi Crakk: "I got a natural get-at-you flow/ It's like a animal, a cannibal, call me Hannibal Crakker, whoa!" And, on "Mr. Popularity", Kanye associate Consequence redeems a corny concept (he uses the word "pop" as much as possible) with pure plosive-exploding technique.
As for the newer guys...meh. There's a whole lot of bitching about the current state of rap, mostly because guys like Saigon are mad it's not particularly hospitable to guys like, say, Saigon. "Streets of MA" is the all-Boston posse-cut nobody outside of New England was anticipating. And if you ever wanted to hear a for-the-ladies track from random mixtape types like Skyzoo and Joell Ortiz, well, you're fucking insane and I'm scared of you, but there's one here.
But even the lamer moments are mostly inoffensive, and they're over quickly. Stick 2 the Script's 18 tracks fly by in a brisk 53 minutes-- not even Termanology gets a chance to hog the mic too much. The record's mostly pure amber nostalgia-- there's even a Mad Rapper skit-- and it's not going to pull hip-hop's focus off the South, but I wouldn't mind hearing a couple more of these Statik Selektah albums. That's something I can't say about DJ Khaled.
