What would you expect from an artist that is on the same label as the Godfather of Soul, James Brown? Originality and passion come to mind and if that is what you are after Shades of Grey is for you. Braille is a hip hop artist from Portland, OR that blows the microphone up. Last year he toured with James Brown all over the world and was well received wherever he played. His music appeals to a wide variety of people because sincerity and creativity are woven into it. He is not afraid to lace his finely constructed rhymes with adoration and praise for the work God has made in his life. Too often rap that is focused on the Lord comes off sounding cheesy or lazy but Braille is the complete opposite of this. He goes beyond the normal hip hop formula of having a big beat and then rhyming on top of that. He is not afraid to create different layers in his songs, layers which allow the listener to hear something different upon each and every listen. Most of the lyrics focus on trying to hold on to faith while getting through life and wanting to live a life of clarity grounded in God. "Too many shades of grey time to make it black and white" is a great example of this. He's also not afraid to talk about the hard stuff like in the song "Let Go" which deals with the struggle of coping with stepparents. There is not one dud on this album all fifteen cuts will have your head bobbing and your heart touched. Music is language for the soul; it's full of emotion and devotion and this album is a fine example of this. It's only a matter of time before Braille blows up.
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