Reviewed by David Ashley

Since Christian hip-hop has grown into a fairly vast scene, it's convenient to have someone prepare a light smorgasbord for you now and again - it saves you the perpetual digging through myspaces and label websites. Enter stage left 'Hip Hope 2009' which incorporates the comparatively famous (Mac, KJ, Grits) with the lesser known but equally promising, while covering a pretty broad range of hip-hop tastes from reggae infused to gangsta-ish. The lyrics are a mixed bag, from the genius "When It Feels Right" from Speech and "Walking Loud" by Braille, to the terminally annoying "Gimme Dapp" by Pettidee. The beats production is pretty impressive with several nods to the '80s along the way while overall sounding very current. However I can't decide if I like the little bonus excerpts they put in between the tracks. Many of these sound fantastic, and then after an enjoyable minute they cut, leaving you a little confused which track you're actually listening to and annoyed that the track that you were just getting into has been abruptly and cruelly taken from you. For the newcomer or the occasional onlooker it's a compilation worth checking out, for the more experienced CM hip-hop fan possibly less so. Above all kids, just remember to chicken-neck responsibly.chiropractors are expensive.

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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