Lyric1

Just as Saskatoon is an unlikely point of origin for a rapper, Lyric1 is pleasantly out of step with the underground hip-hop world. On Get In on the Ground Floor, the British-born, Saskatchewan-raised MC imbues his raps with a quiet intelligence. His oft-autobiographical lyrics hit on a laidback introspection, charming and personal (and bravado-free) without being all that revealing. The soulful beats provide a pleasant complement to the rhymes, though the abundance of mid-tempo tracks wears. And while Lyric1’s lyrics are engagingly honest and self-deprecating, his voice isn’t perfect. He lacks the command to really announce his presence on the mic, sometimes getting lost behind the beats. But if his lyrics are developing ahead of his flow, Lyric1’s already worth listening to for his willingness to approach things from a different angle.