Phonte, previously a part of the Grammy nominated duo The Foreign Exchange, recently released his first solo effort entitled Charity Starts at Home. Having jumped from one independent rap group to another, Phonte Coleman’s latest solo project is his biggest project to date.
As I flowed through the album, having no previous knowledge of Phonte or The Foreign Exchange, I noticed the solid beats and R&B licks reminiscent of those of the early 90s with a mix of harder and more layered sounds that R&B and rap have evolved into over the past few years. It was refreshing, to say the least, to hear a simple almost Lauryn Hill-esque beat in the opening track “Dance in the Reign.” And with a lyric like “This rap shit is not the life I live / It’s a tool that I use / That’s it,” this first song immediately caught my attention and put Phonte on a new level of musicianship for me.
The entire album is a rant, so to speak, on the troubles of being a modern adult in this world. A theme visualized in great detail by Phonte in the second track “The Good Fight,” with passionate and sometimes graphic lyrics, but never unnecessarily so.
A highlight of the album, for me, comes about midway through with the song “Ball and Chain.” Aptly titled, this song explains the complications of being tied to a relationship that is great on the surface but is controlling and heavy in all actuality. There’s an almost flowing, airy melodic lick that runs throughout the entire song with a heavy beat keeping rhythm that helps squeeze out a more in depth meaning to the lyrics.
It was a nice surprise to see Big K.R.I.T. featured on the track “The Life of Kings,” having been a fan of his for a year or so. The song is another personal favorite on the album. A simple beat with this xylophone riff and a layered voice gives the song an incredibly smooth, traditional feel.
The album, as a whole, is filled with rhymes and lyrics that pour through the deep crevices of the beats Phonte has created. That being said, this album is one of the better Hip Hop albums I’ve heard over the past few years. It seems that rappers as of late need to produce music with shock and awe factors that immediately, though briefly, catch the attention of mass markets but eventually dissipate into fleeting fame. Phonte has created an album with a timeless sound and a ton of passion and heart.
Phonte’s first solo album Charity Starts at Home is a welcomed addition to any hip hop fan’s collection and is available for download on iTunes or Amazon.com.
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Brian Falgoust grew up in a small cajun town not too far outside of New Orleans, but quickly fell in love with the city when he studied at NOCCA in high school. Now, he’s proud to call the French Quarter home and falls more in love with NOLA on a daily basis. In college he studied theatre and dance, but his second passion has always been clothing and the fashion industry. Brian has worked retaill in the French Quarter for three years, working part time on a few films, and he prides himself in his vast product knowledge and eye for trends. When he’s not working, he’s usually out running around and dancing to some live music. “Never trust a man who doesn’t dance.”
