Audio By Carbonatix
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Everything ain’t for everybody — and Naeem Oba and brikAbrak’s You Are Not One of Us bolsters this notion. Brazen and controversial, it is offensive and meant to incite. On “Go Hard,” Oba announces himself as “The General,” with an eloquently contentious testimony, calling Barack Obama a puppet amid conspiracy theories. The KenLo-produced “Show and Tell” elicits the best performance from brikAbrak. Over militant samples and sarcastic jeers, sunkenstate and Oba go off on the Federal Reserve and the destruction of legacies. “Clap Music” is strongest and most controversial in content, complete with an eviscerating dis to Haile Selassie I and a Biggie sample, to boot. Lyrically devoid of patience, the album displays an urgency of awareness versus resolution, and overall, the project delivers a futuristic tone with stellar execution.