Reviewed by Mike Rimmer

London in 2008 has become a hotbed of activity in Christian hip-hop and grime music with rappers and producers collaborating like never before. This year has seen a whole host of artists releasing debut singles/EPs. For Simply Andy, this seems to sum up the creative and collaborative elements of the scene as his debut includes plenty of opportunity for his cohorts to shine. The standout track is "Bibles Bibles" which has become an underground hit with its anti-violence message. The original version is on here and there's also the 2008 remake and update. The line up of contributors to that song reads like a who's who of the London hip-hop underground. Triple O, Bless, Victizzle, Stealth, Guvna B, Faith Child, Icie and others are all there. There's even a remix from Jimmy James who seems to be the grime producer of choice at the moment. "Bibles Bibles" is definitely a classic. There's nothing here as electric or well formed as that track but other highlights include Manchester-based Chan's "Love" and "The Truth", another groove giving a host of talent a chance to shine. There's no doubting Simply Andy's generosity. With a life that was turned around from gang involvement to a life ministering for God, Simply Andy has plenty to say and I can't wait for his proper debut album scheduled to drop in 2009.

The opinions expressed in this article are not necessarily those held by Cross Rhythms. Any expressed views were accurate at the time of publishing but may or may not reflect the views of the individuals concerned at a later date.

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