A six year old album that I never heard before ended up in my hands today. Normally I wouldn’t even give it a listen but it was referred to me by someone I trust, so it had to be run through my speakers. Al Burrell’s My Promise Vol. 2 has 12 songs and a few short skit recordings through in for good measure. It is a hip hop record that I could see fitting in with plenty of other albums recorded back in 2006.
The songs are full of interesting samples and beats that fill the background while Al lets his flow go. The production value is pretty good for an album that I assume was recorded at a home basement studio. The mixes are good letting the listener focus on both the lyrics and the beat without straining his mind. Al Burrell is definitely a quality rhyme-maker but the sound is very reminiscent of every other album that came out back then. In the rap game, you have to set yourself apart. I don’t feel that was really done here.
Hopefully there is another album in the works for Al soon and he has had the time to differentiate himself from the rest of the pack. The talent is there, now it’s time to force the cream to rise to the top. Don’t stir vigorously, just let it settle.