Soul Daddy

Hip-hop is all about flow — and that’s precisely what much of A Safe Place lacks. Granted, there are plenty of positive elements here. The sound is warm and open-ended, and supplemental singers Bianca Mikahn and Kiev Nubine add a beguiling flavor to standout tracks like “MOVE!” and “Blame U.” If only Soul Daddy’s vocals were more persuasive. He comes from a spoken-word background, so it’s no surprise that his lyrics are smart. But his delivery is monotonous and clunky, especially in comparison with the work of Jean Grae, who guests on “No Drank.” As for Slum Village’s Elzhi, he sounds so fine on “Switch” that most listeners will be left wishing he was on every cut instead of just one. That’s the way it flows.