Album:

Dizzee Rascal - Boy in da Corner

Dizzee Rascal is not the kind of MC you find in the United States. He is far more hardworking than the 50 Cents or Nass that the U.S. has become so familiar with. Dizzee Rascal is his own DJ and lyricist. His music is also different from American hip-hop; it is far closer to the 2-step/garage that is native to his home country. So why is he drawing all these comparisons to conventional North American rappers? It's probably because he is the closest thing to ghetto rapper across the pond. At first listen, Dizzee Rascal is almost impossible to understand. But after you decipher his British slang and move beyond his East London accent, you realize that he is a far better rapper than those who he is compared to. The beginning of the album is so strong, catchy electronica beats and fast rhyming lyrics are present in the entire first half of the album. The second half is more hit or miss but there is still potential there as well. He is one of the few rappers who can combine gangster lyrics and social commentaries and still sound completely legit. If he could just stay focused the entire album it would officially be a complete hip-hop album, but unfortunately he gets rather sloppy and lazy as the album winds down. Still, this CD is a necessity for a true hip-hop fan.