When Shon Dillard ("King Shon") was a drug dealer ten years ago, he hated rap music. So it's mildly ironic that now, an ordained minister through Victory Outreach, he and the S.S.M.O.B. (Soul Serving Ministers On Board) have put out one of the hardest, funkiest rap albums in a long time, Papa Didn't Raize No Punkz.
From the opening tracks "Kan-U-Se-Me"/"Bumpz Fo Yo Trunk," it's clear that these vatos are giving other Christian rappers a serious run for their money. Papa Didn't Raize No Punkz leaves behind the old-school style of their previous release, Born Again Rebel From A Gangsta Level.
S.S.M.O.B. takes you right into the grim world of gangbangers, thieves, and drug dealers; some of the songs are drawn from their own experiences in the gangs before getting saved, and their tales are mind-blowing. But they also take you into a world of a different kind, a 'hood where there is no murder or pain, only eternal joy. The M.O.B.'s home turf is heaven, and in song after song they boast that there's nothing on earth that's going to equal "low-riding down Gold St."
Although Papa Didn't Raize No Punkz is somewhat long (over 76 minutes), the production is top-notch, especially for an independent release. Producers Chris Gunn, Chris Harris, and Larry Williford keep it hydraulically charged throughout. All of the music is original-no overdubs or sampling-and the cuts are phat on the funk. Cuts like "Bumpz Fo Yo Trunk" shine, as does the anti-prejudice anthem "Given Luv 2 My People." "Ghettumup" is booty-swinging fun, a classic party track steeped in early '80's-style R&B that might even make your grandma get up and groove.
The album's best track, though, is also its eeriest. "I Wanna Die" tells of a gangster's suicide and the eternal consequences of his decision. The haunting keyboards and King Shon's sinister narration bring the gangster's decision to take his life to a chilling crescendo:
So I'm goin' to a place where Calgon couldn't take me, 'Cause I don't want to listen to those voices, but they make me... The voices gettin' louder, tellin' me to do it; They're sayin' time to say goodbye; I gots no choice, I gots to do it!
King Shon and S.S.M.O.B. prove on Papa Didn't Raize No Punkz that you can funk for the Father. With original music, great lyrical style and the love of Christ in their hearts, they're going to be around for a good long while.
