Mr. Lif

Beantown rhyme-slinger Mr. Lif deals with the current state of affairs like possibly no other in the music biz, and in a way that breathes fresh life into Chuck D's allusion to hip-hop as the Black CNN on Lif's new disc, I Heard It Today. With a sharp tongue and a highly critical and observational mind, Lif breaks down the tough issues that have affected so many on the good ship USA in recent years, taking on the bailout plan, the housing crisis and crippling inner city self-hatred, putting the breaks on the general euphoria ushered in with Obama's election. An impressive array of progressive musicality helps temper the serious commentary, with the most notable of the many intricate, left field and, at times, prog-influenced turns coming via the chunky rhythm, spiritual vocals and heavily-filtered sonics of the forceful "The Sun," a cut conjuring images of hip-hop bursting through from the bottom of the ocean. A surprise verse by Bahamadia tops off this timely must-listen from the celebrated Def Jux graduate.