Search - J Medeiros :: Of Gods & Girls

A Great First Solo Project by an Outstanding MC!

Trey Palmisano | Baltimore, MD | 04/16/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"If you're dismayed by the impoverished artistry of mainstream hip hop and the negative attention it garners in popular media, "Of God and Girls" is a great place to begin your plunge into the underground.



Colorado native Mr. J. Medeiros (of The Procussions fame) is a tour de force in underground hip hop. Perhaps the greatest boost this current album received was the YouTube buzz surrounded his video "Constance," a song that tells of the horrors of indentured prostitution and the level to which many of us might be responsible without even realizing how little we know. Such songs are filled with disarming sincerity and bolstered by Mr. J.'s dedication to Christian themes that are subtly engrafted into the background of many of the songs found on this album.



But the themes are fresh. Unlike the pulpit-bashing one might expect from Christian artists (and there is a place for that), Mr. J.'s delivery puts us on to everything from the horrors of over-indulgence, credit card use, to the false images of beauty we're challenged to strive for in society. All this points to one thing: a very thoughtful album that cries for attention.



Notable songs are "Silent Earth," "Strangers," "Constance," Half a Dream," "Keep Pace," and the tear-jerking tribute to his parents "Call You," a song that helps to recognize the beauty in parents who lived sacrificially for the well-being of their children. Such a song offers an opportunity to pick up your own phone and thank your parents!



But if thoughtful lyrics were enough, this would still only be poetry. However, Mr. J. brings each topic into focus with beats that are silky smooth, featuring jazz instrumentals, female vocals, and just the kind of flavor to tantalize your soft listening experience. For purists like myself, words are not hip hop unless you have an equally capable beat to carry and deliver those words. Mr. J. accomplishes all the above on "Of Gods and Girls."



This is definitely worth your time and money!"