Unknown "Man Of Tomorrow" album review

Rap artist Unknown has become a fixture in the New York City music hustling scene. From mix CDs to full-length albums his hunger is easy to recognize, to the point where the Village Voice has written about his nearly constant presence at Fat Beats, asking anyone passing through to take a listen and buy. In Man of Tomorrow that hunger becomes his best asset.

Bordering on being a concept album, Man of Tomorrow is a collection of songs about a man struggling to better his life, while at the same time detailing the suffering and oppression in the community he lives in. The thread that runs though almost all the songs is the reappearance of a well-dressed and wise old man who Unknown mentions throughout the album. He embodies what Unknown wants to become; he is Unknown's man of tomorrow.

The concept takes the album in an interesting direction but at the heart of Man of Tomorrow is Unknown's hunger for something better for himself and his family.   That passion is apparent on songs like "Fourth Quarter" where Unknown raps, "looking at photos of my daughter seeing unsaid reasons why she needs more love/ which is what got me hustling rap to get on a tour bus/ but finding myself down to my last couple of dimes." It's an everyday man's recognition of a harsh world that connects with listeners and makes tracks like "Fourth Quarter," as well as the sentimental "Letters," more real.

The album is full of personal insight as well as social commentary about life in Black America. In "B.L.U.E.S." (an acronym for Blacks Lose Under Experimental Studies), Unknown comments on life in the ghetto and the day to day lives of poor blacks: "41 blocks, 41 shots from cop pistols/ nothing changes just the count of the dead in hospitals." Similar scenes are given on tracks like "Acid Tears."

Despite the great lyrical content of Man of Tomorrow , the main setback of the album comes from Unknown's inconsistent delivery. His slightly off-kilter flow sometimes misses the mark, and loses rhythm. It's an annoyance for anyone who enjoys noddin' to the beat. On songs like "Save The Children" and "Invisible Man" it muddles the message and takes away from the music.

With that said, however, the album is solid. Its personal feel is its strong point, though it doesn't slack on lyrical talent, originality, production or its list of featured emcees. After a second or third listen the good songs become great, and the great songs become the ones you'll keep on repeat for months.