Brother Reade

Rap Music

(Record Collection)

Record Review by Alexis Roberts

You have to love the fact that you know damn well what you’re getting yourself into when you listen to Brother Reade. Rap music. Really fantastic rap music that allows you to get in touch with your inner OG persona without feeling like a poser. This past decade everyone has gotten so used to hearing people rap about bling, grillz, and ridin’ dirty that it’s easy to let it slip our minds that amongst all of the novelty MTV rap there are some hidden gems.

Originally from the Dirty South (well, Winston-Salem), Bobby and Jimmy make up the duo that is Brother Reade. Jimmy does that actual rapping part while Bobby mixes and produces. Jimmy is perhaps one of the most profound rap lyricists since Eminem (before that fool got all into rapping about how much he hates having millions of dollars). His intelligent lyrics are endless; as the album progresses, his analogies only get better and better and his rhymes are unbelievable (“Excuse me but I’ve gotta go play/ gotta lock down the stage like Guantanamo Bay).

In addition to the smart lyrics, the references made to the indie rock culture are what makes all of these skinny little white kids in plaid shirts love them. I haven’t ever heard another rap artist reference Lou Reed, Bob Dylan and Kurt Cobain all on the same CD, have you? They even find time to make sure to include some cliché emblematic rap lyrics, because it’s not really rap music unless you talk about strippers and weed at least a little bit.

So when you’re feeling gangster or just ould really like to listen to something with some good bass, Brother Reade is the way to go. Now you, too, can earn scene points while listening to rap!