Hip-Hop from the Rez

Continued from page 1

"Aim for Freedom" advocates for the release of Leonard Peltier, a Native American who has been imprisoned for 24 years under questionable circumstances for the killings in of two FBI agents and one Native American. This is not a surprising topic for a Native American message album. Shadowyze makes the cut more than a must-do by featuring some of his most solid rhyming, along with a fusion of chanting and Native American flutes, mixed with contemporary beats. the result is effortless and deeply satisfying.

The rest of the tracks are simply adequate, with the exception of "Pedigree," which is noteworthy for its awfulness. Shadowyze's attempt at singing is an atonal, whiney knockoff of the vocal style of Brad Nowell, former frontman for Sublime, and only serves to highlight Shadowyze's limitations as a singer.

Given the failure of the United States' Native American policy, and the place hip-hop has taken as the music of protest, "Spirit Warrior" is more inevitable than inspired. I look forward to seeing Shadowyze get out under the crushing weight of his social commentary and make good on the glimpses of true talent he shows here.