Buzrk - When I Speak To The Mic

Hear The Track Here

It's Parental Advisory time so I guess we must be heading into hiphop territory. Over the eight or nine tracks I have reviewed from Miami based rapper Buzrk it has become clear that we certainly have some differences of opinion about what works and what doesn't. One of the major problems I have with this artist - and he's not the only one by a long shot - is that for a rapper his flow doesn't always. Flow, I mean. Now correct me if I am wrong but I understand that this is the whole point of rap, or at least it was back in the day when it seemed to mean more politically than it does in this age of riches and bitches. That's the problem, I guess, with growing older; things change. The rules however, especially in such a genre as rap, are absolutely clear cut; no flow, no go. Having said that, it would unfair to say that Buzrk hasn't improved a lot since I first heard him but I'm still waiting for that O.mi. god. moment.

But then there is this....

When I Speak to the Mic is, like a lot of Buzrk's work, initially set up by one of my favourite of beat factories: Sinima Beats. The backing track to When I Speak to the Mic is exactly what I have come to expect from this outfit; great beats, solid basslines and enough instrumental flourishes to keep the whole interesting. Where other wannabees try to sound like Eminem in style and content, a great many of Soundclick's rappers ARE trying to establish their own sound and style and none more so than Buzrk. He is a highly indivdualistic rapper that's for sure, I am beginning to think that I would recognise him in amongst a bunch of rappers and I guess that is never a bad thing.

Where the track falls down for me is in exactly the same place as 90% of this artists output and something we have spoken about endlessly whenever we happen to meet like this. See, its all very well sounding like yourself - as I say it helps - but when your flow is off (not always but a lot more than I give credit for) and when a large majority of the lyric is completely muffled and/or rushed it does IMHO defeat the whole point of the exercise. I'm also pretty sure that as soon as Buzrk REALLY addresses this problem the review side of things - and not just from me - is going to look a whole lot rosier. Nonetheless, When I Speak to the Mic is a good example of where Buzrk is at right now and nothing he should feel particularly ashamed of, it's just that I think he can do better.

Highly Recommended for the beats, not so hot on the rap...