The Dead Poets are a hip hop duo out of the Bronx comprised of Mark-uz MidKnyte (Knyte) and Lazarus (Laz). The duo met while in college studying accounting. Together they form a hip hop group that has smart rhymes and smooth beats that bring a more positive message to the listener.
That’s not to say all the songs have a strong message. Irresistible is the sexy song and with the added vocals of Denae and LeMonte it comes of fun and very danceable. You can’t help but chuckle at the line “Got a foot fetish? I like yours.” This track definitely makes you want to get down and dirty.
Step Up gets you grooving to the beat while reminding the listener to do what’s right. Tickled Pink features J-Rock and is what happens when hip hop and reggae get together. The combination is intoxicating. The opening track On The Grind, is a more traditional sounding track, dealing with the issues facing many men today.
Knyte and Lazarus have very different styles of rapping with Laz being the flashier of the two. Give the album a good listen and you’ll hear the difference and those differences help set them apart from the rest of the hip hop community, and when you add guest vocals it really gives them that special something that puts them in a different category from all the rest of their peers. The lack of sampling makes the music more original. Besides the beats you’ll often hear strings and even a guitar. Female backing vocals soften the hard edge of tracks like Coolest which tackles society issues.
Perhaps the best track on the album is Uncomplicated, which is the guys’ song for their children. This song takes you on their journey to fatherhood. It’s definitely not the usual subject matter for a hip hop song, but with the help of Sadie, it comes across beautifully.
That’s not to say that all the tracks work. Too Many Mics has beat that’s so tinny that it detracts from the rhyme and makes it a trial to listen to. Sure the scratching fits with the message they are going to convey, but it would be better if the focus was more on the rhyme.
Starving Artists seeks to show the world a new maturity with their music, something that more people in their genre should seek to emulate. They bring their music to the masses with class and intelligence which opens their music up to more listeners. The younger audience will like the beats a streetwise rhymes but those of us that have grown up, so to speak , will appreciate the message they send.
Starving Arists is a fine debut. If Dead Poets can follow up with another album such as this, they are bound to take the hip-hop world by storm. If they don’t, they can always fall back on their day jobs as accountants.
Reviewed By Andrea Guy
