Brace your good selves for one of the most politically inspiring, head-noddingly fresh records of 2009. From the sand addled heat of Syria and Lebanon, Eslam Jawaad brings you his undeniably powerful, star studded, globally created and hip-hop honed, debut album.
Lyrically, originality arrives in bounds with biting political commentary wrapped in his trademark flow, as Eslam rhymes his way through experiences he’s had whilst living in an environment with extreme anti-Middle Eastern sentiment. Peppered with first hand knowledge of life in the Lebanese mafia, to touring the world with DAMON ALBARN [GOOD, BAD AND THE QUEEN] and WU-TANG CLAN [KILLA BEEZ tour], Eslam has created a magnificent body of work.
The album includes the gigantic singles ‘Rewind DJ’ with DE LA SOUL, ‘Pivot Widdit’ and ‘Star Spangled Banner’. The massive FOCUS [BEYONCE, BUSTA RHYMES, DR DRE] produced ‘Criminuhl’ is one of the catchiest tracks you will hear in 09, with an iron clad hook ready to invade your eardrums.
The ‘Mammoth Tusk’ title track recounts the incredible true story that inspired the album: a cinematic tale of an ill-fated Middle-Eastern mafia deal to transport an actual tusk of a woolly mammoth.
‘So Real’ features trademark, off-kilter production from the legendary RZA of the WU TANG CLAN, and even includes a special intro from Wu brethren GZA. The astonishing ‘Alarm Chord’ sees Eslam rap in his native Arabic tongue alongside the haunting vocals of one of the most talented modern musicians alive today: DAMON ALBARN [GORILLAZ, BLUR].
