Rappers of the Caucasian persuasion aren’t the curious phenomenon that they once were, but are still subject to far more scrutiny within the hip-hop community as well as unwanted inspection from the curious observers outside of it. Andrew Greenstein, both White and Jewish, bears the distinct privilege of having his entire album executively produced by the “Teacher,” the Blastmaster Krs-One. Recording as Greenie, It’s All Good is an album full of impossible situations and the ability to overcome them, as well as hindsight’s positive spin on a life filled with negativity. The title track alone proves the album’s point as Greenie lyrically works his way through adolescent beat downs, a long-term speech impediment, massive financial loss, and a decade-long marriage that ends in scandal and divorce.
Surely there will be some who feel the need to compare Greenie to Eminem, perhaps to merely judge one White rapper to another. On a deeper level, there is a parallel between the aggressive delivery of both Greenstein and Marshall Mathers on the microphone. Like Eminem, Greenie pulls no punches when it comes to certain topics, be it the examination of America’s war tactics in “Real Terrorism,” confronting a racist father in “My Son, The Schvartze,” or the lyrical skewering of Judeo-Christian ethics in “Already In Heaven.” However, happy endings are hard to come by in Eminem’s world, whereas Greenie seems intent on working towards them, no matter how painful the process might be. Consider “A Liar, A Cheat, A Sneak & A Thief,” a story of how a father’s damaging words are lived out within the life of a son. As the protagonist, Greenie senses the possibility of that same hurtful relationship playing out with his daughter and take steps to end the cycle of verbal abuse.
Lest one thinks that it’s all serious on It’s All Good, Greenie does allow time for laughter in the midst of struggles. Keep in mind, however, that the humor is of the blue variety, as evidenced within the X-rated emails of “Married Girl 3462” and the vasectomy monologues of “Cum, Dicky, Cum.” A surprising standout track is revealed in “Sign The Prenup,” backed by Krs-One’s own production involving a filtered kazoo as the bass line and layered beat boxing as the drum track. It’s an instrumental that’s catchy and inventive enough to host Greenie’s colorful lyrics: “Prenups are like condoms that I can use in court / so my money don’t get STDed – Stolen Through Divorce!”
As a man who literally found his voice through hip-hop, Andrew Greenstein is arguably its best case study for how words produce actions. Overcoming some unusual odds, Greenie is real without having to “keep it real,” taking on the essence of hip-hop by making use of what you have in order to create art. There’s a line from “A Liar, A Cheat, A Sneak & A Thief” that could be considered one of the album’s life lessons: “The more we say who we are, we become who we say.” It’s a statement that stresses the power and influence of words as well as the negative and positive effects that they’ve had on Greenie’s own life. It’s All Good is an album that’s bound to be a conversation starter amongst believers and doubters with no shortage of strong opinions.
Review by Jason Randall Smith
