Skyzoo

Make no mistake, Brooklyn, NY-based Skyzoo was on the brink of falling into that netherworld of hip-hop inertia many an MC has been exiled to after ultimately not living up to the hype. After a critically well received yet underperforming debut project, A Dream Deferred attempts to rectify the situation. The album gets bonus points off the bat for enlisting the inimitable Jill Scott on vocals in the intro. Checking the rest of the 14 tracks, the production is on point and the rhyme patterns are above average, but there's a distinct lack of cohesion. Don't get it twisted: tracks like the jazzy, 9th Wonder-produced "Jansport Springs," the Black Milk-produced "Steel's Apartment" and "The Cost of Sleep" are clear standouts. And the fresher than it needs to be 808 vibe of "Give It Up" goes the extra mile. The perpetually laidback Skyzoo is no doubt talented, but the issue of whether A Dream Deferred merits heavy rotation is something that hip-hop heads are liable to grapple with.