CD REVIEW of Paradise's "Jazz Funk HipHoPoetry"
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This is a rather interesting project with some Afrobeat rhythm, lots of poetry, 
a little bit of funk and some hip-hop...this is a project that reminds of the 
poetic works of Gil Scott-Heron and The Last Poets...the lyrics are intelligent 
and speak of the injustices in America (especially where it pertains to the 
black community).  The lyrics also speak of black empowerment...something that 
most hip-hop music seems to be missing.  

Rating for the CD (out of 10):  7   
       (Seriously, I could only give the CD a "7" because I didn't find it 
interesting enough for me to play the CD repeatedly over a 1 to 2 week 
period....but there is some good stuff here).



Tracks:

1.  "How to Be a Black Man in America" -  features some good fast-paced drumming 
with a solid bass line.  You have both poetry and hip-hop rapping here.  I love 
the tasteful synthesizer riffs here.

2.   "Equal Opportunity Lover"  - has some good funk synthesizer riffs but the 
horns are actually "synthesized" (where are the real horns?).

3.   "Keepers of the Flame"  - like "Equal Opportunity Lover", except there is a 
funkier bass line throughout part of the track and some congas are added.

4.  "Cocoa Venus"  -  this was my least favorite (the chorus just seemed a 
little too off-kilter for me).  Here we have just the poet doing his reciting, 
amid a background of a bass line and congas.

5.  "It's OK to Be a Black Girl"  - track with a bass line, seasoned by some 
dark-sounding synthesizer riffs.

6.  "Ain't Yo Mama Black"  -  Paradise plays the Dirty Dozens here..with congas 
starting off the song, followed by an interesting bass line.

7.  "Two Minute Warning"  -  Paradise does his poetry acapella for a little bit 
before the congas came in. He switches constantly from poetry to singing and 
back.