Rock Mecca
Ironworld
Soulspazm Records
Review by hutch
This spring, Rock Mecca has released his second album, Ironworld, both being on Soulspazm
Records. His flow is laid back but rough, like Lord Finesse or EPMD. But,
entrenched in the slow flow is deep knowledge and desire to spread hope and
encouragement. Layered production from Jake Polumbo of SPACELab paints gorgeous
and musical tapestries. Polumbo has crafted beats for Rock and Pawz One on
their recent killer LPs; mixed and mastered Shabaam Sahdeeq’s Keepers of the Lost Art along with
credits on work for Sean Price, Royce Da 5'9", Roc Marciano, Ras Kass,
Tony Touch, Smif-N-Wessun, Sadat X, Masta Ace, El Da Sensei, and The Beatnuts.
After an intro, we get into “King of Kings” which
contemplates a Dead Prez/PE approach to the system’s mind control tactics. While
I find the music underwhelming for an opening cut, the precision and sharp
delivery of the lyrics is the prize here. While I think of Jimmy Cliff’s “King
of Kings”, the opening sample lays the mindset as it hears from street level
graffiti kings to those preparing for Jesus and Mohammed. Out the gates, Mecca
spits “Make your idols your rivals, challenge ‘em for my first title/ I enter
the ring prepared for battle/ I triumph with my science, bring your Bibles and
your rifles”. Afterwards, mecca states a sweet flip Cube’s classic “Steady
Mobbin’” prelude into a list of positivity with “Rodney King, Martin Luther
King, and all the kings in Africa”. That’s powerful. Very impressive. Mecca
kills it with wordplay and vengeance intertwined with one phrase, “we’re back
for back pay and payback”. God damn. Flipping words in the second verse
continues the mind massage:
“What if some of these
MCs were government agents
Their record labels
program us through entertainment
The CEO was the CIA and
the A&R (A n R) was the N.R.A
Give them guns so they
can flash ‘em on their ads in print
Make it rain but gotta
bring it back to US Mint
On the back of the album
you see the FBI logo
Against piracy because
they working for the Po-Po”
The title of that joint does set the tone for the peppered
Jamaican/Rocksteady/Reggae references and musicality which will follow; which I
appreciate deeply. Never mind having Jamaican born Canibus on the penultimate
joint.
Next up is “One Man Gang”. Rock Mecca touts “OMG – One Man
Gang – Oh My God – On My Grind”. A dope chop with choral vocals and hi-hats
while Mecca reflects upon fighting his entire life. Mecca consistently punches
lyrical allusions to the concept of a fighter throughout
Ironworld. ‘Life is a constant struggle’ is a salient theme with
the many wrestling bars and Mike Tyson ‘90s quotes plus check the song titles:
“Survivor Series”, “One Man Gang”, “Stone Cold”, “Gladiator Schools”, “Prizefights”
and “Coliseum”, which nods to not only George ‘The Animal Steele’ or the line
“Haile Selassie meets Freddie Blassie” (“Stanley Cups”). The end of “One Man
Gang” also uses the glorious
The
Education of Sonny Carson clip: “sucka think he good. sucka think he can
whoop me. I know he can’t whoop me… hey boy (his) whole style chump”. So good.
The third track, “W.A.S.C. (Rebel Anthem)”, belies my
description of Rock Mecca’s laid back approach. It’s no coincidence he
references Willie D and Bushwick Bill in the first verse. This is an explosive
track; exhilarating energy bursting from the speakers. Mecca matches the energy
of the first GB album here. Triumphant horns blare while scratches build the
excitement which is exponentially amplified when accompanied by the track’s samples.
Joseph Simmons’ iconic “Run, Run…” and Chuck D’s “the rebel, the rebel”, and Busta’s
emphatic “Powerful impact – BOOM! from the cannon” comprise the hook. The third
verse even has Rock Mecca borrow from Uncle L’s “Mama Said Knock You Out”. Clearly
made for older heads that will appreciate (and get pumped) from these classics.
Rock’s words invigorate.
After some words from Iron Mike, sultry saxophone and
strings are placed over rough drums for “Stone Cold”. This loop is dope. The
main hook is a quote slowed the f down, “in the belly of the beast – will I
survive to tell the tale.” Again some Rocksteady nods with “Tougher than Tough”
(Derrick Morgan) and “Rough Rider” (Prince Buster) are embedded in his lyrics.
This track is a chilling perspective, with tone set by Tyson’s callous
evaluation, on how to maintain. Mecca ends with:
“This awkward, odd
beautiful struggle/ On my job like a single mom tryna juggle
Walking on thin ice
while situations get thick/ Play the corners if you wanna
Can’t afford another
abysmal dismal year/ Playing the rear
Stay all cried out
without ever shedding a tear / Live on a prayer”
Mecca finally gets to uses hi lyrics in story mode for a
dark, unforgiving world, “Tunnel Visions”. Maybe the title is an allusion to
dudes leaving NYC after the clubs, hitting the Tunnels to go back home; while
doubling as a metaphor for the myopic vision of what fame offers discarding the
outer reality. The harsh visual proposed by Mecca illuminates:
“Before the sun rises / Before
the one night stands, the after-parties
Before the flyers litter
the floor / Before the bottles on chill
Become glass shards and
liquor spilled / Before breathalyzers, broken rubbers, discarded pills
Before the velvet rope
turns to yellow tape / A few hours before the drunk girl awakes to holler rape
Before he pops the
trunk, stumbling drunk / Parking lots become a Western
And groupies head to the
Westin”
Next, “Gladiator Schools” takes its opportunity to give some
knowledge from someone who has seen the struggle. Mecca implores to any lost in
the system, while they are in the “school of hard knocks, take rocks and make
jewels – show and prove even if you born to lose … in the gladiator schools”.
Never accepting excuses, Rock imparts that supposed victims don’t let their
negative circumstances define a negative life. Born into a shitty life doesn’t
mean you have live a shitty existence. “Gladiator Schools”, in fact, is the
single of
Ironworld (powered by a
dope Kool Keith rally cry for the hook), its cover shows a pair of black hands
extended through prison bars reading a book, a stunning image. There are not
many situations that make you start from the bottom more severely than coming
out of jail; marred with a record and rebuilding after being dehumanized. A
felon’s existence, having been forged to react with the basest of human
instincts, does not translate into ‘normal’ society. But, it is a reality for
many.
Here, Roc Marc does his thing. Bomb as always. Mecca spits
deadly with lyrical maneuvering dope shit, getting deep in the mental. Some
life advice with a cool hook about hard times. Production is layered and smoky
anchored by a trumpet line that goes beyond 4 bars; weaving in and out. We hear
punching snares and a repeating swelling of lower horns and some other high
pitched noises in there. Cool sample at the end to talk of pursuits.
“Prizefights” is another banger, with somber flutes
contrasted by boom-bap snares and other instruments. Mecca’s flow speeds up
dropping many jewels while Ratigan spits fire dancehall toasting for the hook.
Sirens and screeching sneakers are woven in the music bed as we exit the track
with an APB call. The somber track ends with a downer.
“Coliseums” returns to that slow delivery, almost chopped
and screwed, lol. Nah, but it is a slower BPM - I feel - than the lyrical fury
deserves. A minor note. The horns are killer. A spazzing drum track builds
tension as it pulsates under the slower instruments. It opens with a verse from
the Queens legend, Tragedy Khadafi; a dope track that will having you thinking
while energizing you. I mean, I am reviewing this sober. No doubt that as slow as
this beat is, as is the later track, “Killa”, the faxed organ (or melodica)
riding low and is dope as fuck when you’re lit. The vibes and reverb and spacey
tones panning, the sound is, well, killer. In between is Ron G “Stanley Cups”.
I like the chosen music elements; sick long over-lapping guitars and horns.
Rock carries this album practically solo, the first half is
all him with Ironworld on his
solitary back. He then laces side B with guest appearances; but practically one
per track; highlighting the tracks guest spot with exactly delivery. And
actually, one appearance is that Ratigan joint, who is solely on the reggae
hook and one is DJ Ron G. This aids in allowing the listener to embrace the
quality of guests; Roc Marc, Tragedy, and Canibus; and Kool Keith with Vast
Aire. Guests only occupy a verse on 4/12 tracks. That’s bold these days where
every track is jammed with other MCs. Again “Killa” boasts Vast Aire (Cannibal
Ox), Kool Keith, and Mach Hommy. It utilizes that Celph Titled (well, Buckwild)
sample of Peter Tosh decrying the “Bumbaklatts” and “the fuckery out there”
invading radio speakers with knowledge and rebellion instead of “darling, I
bloodclot love you” and “shaking their booty”. Definitely for smokers; the
wandering guitar lines while the drums are plodding among lots of echo and
reverb. Fun as hell.
Ironworld is a
captivating release. Rock Mecca and Polumbo have some slower beats and some
upper-tempo ones, not simply relying on boom-bap aesthetics. But the maturity
and perspective of the lyrics are solidified as wiser. Rock Mecca came hard for
his second full length. Mecca approaches his audience as a hardened warrior
ready to fight some more. And willing to persevere until the bell rings.
RIYL: Saigon, Ruste Juxx, Q-Unique, U-God, Masta Killa, Dead
Prez
