NO RAPPER LEFT BEHIND: KY MOVEMENT Volume: 7
If you’re anything like me, you’re probably more than tired of listening to local rappers you grew up with talking about all the gangsta shit that they’ve either done or are currently doing. Luckily for the sake of music somebody forgot to tell Lee Da Rhymin Master that you have to be ultra thuggish in order to make music these days. His debut underground effort Young, Poor, Black, Artistic: The Album just might be the twelve breaths of fresh air that the Ville has been needing for… ever.

Lee opens up his mixtape with an entirely different and almost unheard of swagger on the harmonious "Intro (I Promise)." On the testimonial "Music For The Sake Of It" Lee takes time to send some overdue shots at the national as well as local music scenes. Lee uses a simple piano laden background to profess his obviously genuine love for the sport of making good music on the humble "For The Love Of Music." On the 80’s feeling "The Grind" Lee goes in depth about his past, current, and proposed future financial struggles as he sheds some light on those individuals who strive for more on a daily basis. On the soulful "When You Came Away" Lee speaks fluid love filled bars over a single harmony laid over a layer of naked guitar strums. The album’s "Outro" turns into an 80’s style uptown rhyme fest as Lee spits a little cipher style shit talking on the sleeper joint. As if that weren’t enough the Louisville bred MC comes out of left field with the bass heavy bonus effort "Pink Jeans."

Though every track on Young, Poor, Black, Artistic: The Album isn’t a certified banger, it’s still nice as hell to hear somebody talking about something other than saran wrap, baking soda, and triple beam dreams through an entire album. Hip hop is in dire need of a new direction and it’s going to take more people like Le Da Rhymin Master who are not afraid to be themselves and have that thing called fun while making music. Throughout this album you can almost feel Lee’s passion for music down the back of your neck, especially when he says something to the effect of how happy he gets just to get some new equipment. Sure there’s money in this rap shit, but that’s the main reason that 89% of you rap dudes aint shit, you forgot about the passion for the music. Though it’s not the best CD to ever hit Louisville’s shelves you can tell throughout Young, Poor, Black, Artistic: The Album that Lee Da Rhymin Master is going somewhere with or without your support of real music.