Unpredictable Individual

On “Transportation” the lyrics are used as percussion ‚Äî words punctuating the beat and sliding through some phrasings while dropping off on others all to create a level of anxiety worthy of Ice-T. Garth’s rhyme ability has grown up, to say the least ‚Äî in places it feels musically groundbreaking.

California’s medical prescription of cannabis via 215 has created an alluring semi-legal occupation that provides the inventive space for Vader to get eloquent about herbals. But instead of just focusing on the underground wealth, Garth balances his stories about herb with the hard-luck blues of a working-class single dad. Like Redman, Garth rhymes more about the need to sling pot to keep his life together. On songs like “Got Shitted On,” Garth documents the victims of the drug war, rhyming about jail, helicopters, police, snitches and the daily anxiety of poverty.

In “Life Goes On” Vader writes: “That’s why I made this / for my people caught up in those positions / I’ll never forget them / but hopefully we’ll be forgiven / when we make the change from within / to see things a little different.”

The choice to live as an independent, outlaw artist means certain freedoms, but it also comes with risks. Lack of radio play, struggle for distribution and the difficulty in producing high-quality music all plague even the most heartfelt of independent releases. This album seems to overcome those difficulties with exceptional quality and big heart. The sound is better than most, and the rhyming artists are in epic form. Unpredictable Individual is a stunning piece of composition and a unique product of Humboldt, a worthy choice for any hip hop fan or lover of freedom.

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