Jesse Dangerously

After making some noise in Eastern Canada lately as runner-up for Best MC in the Coast’s 2005 Best of the Year poll and winning Hip-Hop Artist of the Year at the Music Industry of Nova Scotia Awards, Jesse Dangerously is releasing his first new music in four years; last year’s How to Express Your Dissenting Political Viewpoint Through Origami was a collection of long-awaited songs recorded in 2001. Rather than produce the album as he did with Origami, Jesse has called on his Backburner compatriots Uncle Fester and Dexter Doolittle for some hype production on the ten songs that comprise Inter Alia. It’s a good decision that results in Jesse’s most accessible release to date, mixing criticisms of homophobia as well as feminist and pacifist talk — all normally absent from modern commercial hip-hop — with his braggadocio raps. Dexter Doolittle produces the album’s two highlights: "Outfox’d (When Pacifists Attack)” is a headbanging, fist-pounding battle anthem, while "The Prestidigitator” is a Jesse Dangerously boxing-ring anthem with a little hint of the snake charmer. However, Dexter’s stripped down "Trouble Brewing (Dex From Above 1979 mix)” does not do justice to the original version, which was arguably the best track on Origami. Fester has better success with his remix of "Righteous Bad Ass” from Jesse's Eastern Canadian World Tour 2002 CD, and lays down a smooth track for "The Altogether,” a posse track with Mr Bix, Apt, Cal and UNIVERSAL ARM. First Halifax and then the world!