AmsUno

The conceptual newspaper packaging of AmsUno’s official debut CD, with the title as a front page headline, is definitely a nice touch, but sadly it doesn’t always work. Still, the Rhode Island wordsmith takes as a mantra the final vocal sample from the album’s short, intro/title track that states: "you’ve got today and today only to show me who and what you’re made of.” So, he expresses personal and heartfelt raps on smooth chillers like "If It’s OK?” and "What Is To Be Must Be,” plays with words and concepts on the fairytale "Uno Potato” and the fun posse cut "Dumb Ditty Dumb” with label-mates Romen Rok and Cas Uno, gets political on "Woe To Dem,” and talks hip-hop on boom-bap tracks "My Contribution” and "Echoes of the Past.” As can be expected, his production — supplied primarily by Missin Ellements, Esh, and himself — also covers all the necessary bases from laidback to rough, rugged and raw. The end result is an album that should have something for everybody. Now it’s just a matter of waiting for the long-promised Brothers Uno album.