Bless Presents Platinumberg

Montreal MC Bless has recently been getting attention because of his affiliation with Guru and the single "Talkin’ To Me” featuring the Gang Starr MC. On this album that is supposed to be a showcase for Bless’s Platinumberg crew, but is essentially a solo album, it turns out the Gang Starr connection runs deeper. It would be an understatement to say producer Ray Ray’s beats, which make up the bulk of the record, are heavily indebted to Gang Starr’s DJ Premier, but his technical proficiency earmarks him as a producer to watch and provides a rock-solid foundation for this album. With the connections and undeniable beats it’s hard for the talented Bless to put a foot wrong and he provides a fair share of bon mots and jewels in his battle-ready flow. Bless and company’s tangible hunger on the tracks plays no small part in getting them over. Interestingly, the constant outlining of business plans flies in the face of the usual topical fare associated with the gritty soundscapes found here and it’ll be interesting how this affects where Bless takes this promising beginning in the future.