Ty

Establishing yourself as a British talent in a genre thoroughly dominated by Yanks takes talent and persistence. Ty has certainly paid his dues after three excellent records on Big Dada. So Special Kind of Fool comes as a disappointment after the talent the London-born MC showcased on songs like "The Tale" and "Rain." Album number four finds Ty's substantial verve, wit and honesty smothered by grating, overly busy production and a glut of featured singers. He shines on songs like "ME" and "I Get Up," when the beats match Ty's energy and shift the listener's focus towards his deft rapping. But Ty's generosity in regards to his guest roster does him a disservice, leaving Ty sounding like a guest on his album. The four-minute-plus runtime of every song on Special doesn't help, making the album a trying listen. This rap record needs more rapping.