To hear him rhyme, you’d say Doujah (pronounced doe-Jah) Raze “is one bad mo-fo.” And you wouldn’t be just whistling Dixie. On his long-awaited debut CD, the internationally known independent entity known to rep Virginia and DC to the fullest, comes correct with a nod to the old-school of rap: skills, beats and–dare I say it—meaningful shit to say!
With various producers, though surprisingly no Timbaland or Neptune tracks here (hey, I did say he was from V-A, right?), the kid creates a very cohesive effort that his many fans have long been awaiting. Heretofore, you had to catch a show and cop a 12” single.
Now, you can get your entire Doujah fix in one sit-down; and believe me, it’s worth every minute. From the opening ode to Native Tongues jazz fusion to the tested battle rhymes to the later offerings of social commentary; where you also get the very poignant and personal Dedication to grandpa Raze.
On the lead single “Plastic World,” The lauded emcee comes down hard on all those fakes, phonies and other cronies who put style above substance. While “New York City” hits you with that famed East Coast Boom Bap track, it allows Doujah to let you in on the city’s inviting nature. There is a reason the saying goes “New York, New York, big city of dreams…” And before you get the kid twisted, he offers up “Virginia,” a nice ditty repping the place where he comes from.
Doujah has toured the world. He’s worked with luminaries (Da Beatminerz, O.C, and Mista Sinista) and unknowns alike. And the best way to pay homage to that sort of track record is to keep the shit real. Doujah’s debut is about real hip-hop; rap music for the fan and those who participate in it. There’s no faking the funk and no pulling the punches, just good music and dope rhymes.
Don’t sleep on the next best thing.
