“God bless the child who forgot how to smile…”

-Riot Spell

Wych Hazle, from the album Dramatication

The decade known as the aughts were my formative years both in love and life.

I met Wych Hazel in 1999 at an independently black-owned bookstore in Brooklyn. I first heard his lyrical mastery at an open mic at the Brooklyn Y,-from that event, there was one lyric, that has stayed with me all these years… ‘if it’s in your heart, it’s in your hand…’ Then I heard him freestyle more often at Foundations, a fundraising event held at the bookstore on the first Friday of every month, if I remember correctly, like a cypher, brining together community activists, writers, poets, artists, musicians and philosophers would come together to bless mics, spread knowledge, share wisdom with one another.

Hazle’s had blazing beats in his heart and mind bending, intellectually stimulating rhymes in his hands from the time we first bumped heads all those years ago-he still does, and with age, like fine wine, his music has ripened beautifully for an exquisite taste.

His Style Be Like…

I hate to compare artists and I’ll be the first to say that between Wych Hazle and most, there is no competition. His beats and lyrical style are uniquely his but in order for me to get you to understand Hazle and Dramafication, I’m going to have to take you where I go when I hear his music.

Back in my day (aka the golden age of hip hop -1980’s to the late aughts), Jeru The Damaja released “The Sun Rises in the East.” His single “Come Clean” did just that. Wisdom, knowledge of self, Black pride, respect …speaking truth to power with jaw-dropping, awe inspired beats produced by no other than legendary DJ Premier (Gang Starr).

Jeru was what heads back in the day called a “conscious” rapper because he didn’t rap about money, clothes, or hoes; they superficial side of the business.

He rapped truth to power, his message was militant, but you could shake your ass, raise a fist, and still be peace and lovey too! I think it’s safe to say that Hazle belongs in the upper echelons of the rap game, next to icons like, Tupac, Nas, Outcast, Rakim to name a few, and, to give you some context behind what you. are about to witness.

Let’s Get Into It…

So, without further ado, let me do what I came to do, and that is, to give an honest review of Dramafication: An album by Wych Hazle.

The album opens with Riot Spell, with its hazy, reflective, retro beat, is both timeless and timely. In Saggy Booty Blues, Hazle waxes poetic about issues that plague many of us struggling to find our place and purpose in a broken world.

80’s Crazy, for obvious reasons, is one of my favorites because it reflects the conflict and tension that created a movement: we had Reagan, crack and AIDS, the Bronx might have been burning but it could have from the heat coming off spinning turntables at 1520 Sedgewick Avenue. We had the South Bronx, and DJ Kool Herc, who gave birth to a multibillion dollar movement.

The road that hip hop has traveled since its inception in the late 70’s to the bastardized behemoth it is today has been turbulent, with not much changing socially, economically or politically for black folk since then:

“Broken spirits, inner hatred…no state of mind… dramafied to the ways of mankind…”

Wych Hazle, Dramafication

Dramafication is a wake-up call to action! If you haven’t added it to your playlist right now, what’s the hold up? My mind has been forever altered by the Dramafication experience…it’s your turn.

Oh…the places you will go…

…I’m still recovering. Wink. Wink.

Check out Wych Hazle on tubespace.io, Facebook

Listen to his latest single Frankenbitch.