Branded Moore

London, ON rapper MC Moore follows his collaboration albums with Fingas Slim (as Mullet N Steps) and Exit Only with solo debut Branded Moore, a throwback release with fun-loving raps, a traditional delivery, lots of cuts and boom-bap beats, all held together by Moore's cunning concepts. A cursory play through of "Put Your Lips on It" might lead one to presume the song is sexual, but Moore is actually playing with expectations to pay homage to marijuana, while "Stuck in My Ways" examines online dating, "Move On" deals with suicide and "Opening Act" presents a picture of the struggling independent hip-hop artist. Most long-time hip-hop fans will get their biggest kick out of "A Symphony," with Exit Only, Fingas Slim and Moore rapping over the familiar beat from the Cold Chillin' classic. At ten tracks, Branded Moore is a fairly short and fast listen, the only filler about two minutes of useless phone messages at the end of "Stuck In My Ways" and the hidden bonus track which samples "Give Peace A Chance" and doesn't fit the album, regardless of the positive message. Maybe Moore isn't breaking any new ground, but he has fashioned a fun hip-hop album for those who miss that Golden Age party vibe.