Wordsworth

It’s a widely held belief in hip-hop circles that freestylers cannot write compelling songs. Brooklyn MC Wordsworth seems to be acutely aware of this. Anyone aware of him from when he got his start as one half of Punch n Words in the mid-’90s or has been privy to his incredible improvisational skills in a live setting knows he’s one of the nicest rhymers off the dome. But it’s clear from Mirror Music that Wordsworth wants to go beyond his freestyle reputation, and exercise more of the storytelling skills he’s already used writing for television and submitting his university papers in rhyme form. For much of Mirror Music, Wordsworth takes on the role of an observer, delivering his narratives on everyday life as a conversational raconteur. While his production is not always as versatile or compelling, Wordsworth’s elaborate story-weaving is the undeniable attraction. "12 Months” finds him fleshing out a year in the life of two well-meaning men and the wayward path economic desperation leads them on, and "Head High” a collaboration with rising label-mates Oddisee and Kenn Starr aspires to Black Star’s "Respiration” with its reportage on nocturnal urban life. Wordsworth does turn the mic on himself too, but it’s done in a humble everyman way that is easy to relate and gravitate towards. "One Day” finds Words illuminating the routine of his everyday life with his descriptive flair and "Gonna Be” is a frank and surprisingly candid assessment of being the proverbial starving artist that you’d be hard pressed to find any ego-tripping freestyler writing. Maybe that’s the whole point.