All the way from Motor City and stirring up the kind of underground buzz usually reserved for Tubes straight out of Kings Cross: Big Tone – fat beats, fat bass, fat buzz.
After Defari and Little Brother we get to see another side of ABB Records as Big Tone rakes his mic through the dust and grime of Detroit to expose its gritty underbelly, touching on everything from the fairer sex (‘Girl’) the dog-eat-dog pragmatism and the dreams and the wishes of the street (‘Real Life’) nostalgia (‘Good Ole Days) to an end to the cycle of violence (‘Peace’). It’s hopeful, if nothing else.
Tone might be more memorable as a producer than an MC but ‘Drought’ is a fresh mesh of sped-up samples, smooth bass signals and strong beats, and likely to hold the interest of the dorm as much as the dude with its solid knowledge base and experienced, lyrical vigilance.
The Drought features plenty of guests and R n B flashes including Patrice Williams, LaNiece McKay, Dwele and Quelle – all of whom seem likely to calm even the harshest of critics, the majority of whom (including Kanye West) happen to be on the wrong end of his shtick.