Album Review: Kosha Dillz – Beverly Dillz (2009)

Album Review: Kosha Dillz – Beverly Dillz (2009)
Rating: 3 out of 5 Potholes

When was the last time you heard a FUN Hip Hop album? Not a party record, not a club record, but a FUN Hip Hop record? Think about that for a minute then read the rest of this review.

New Jersey MC Kosha Dillz and L.A. producer Belief deliver the feel-good record of the (last) year in the form of Beverly Dillz (Kosha Dillz World/Shemspeed). If urban legend is to be believed, the record was recorded entirely in the Beverly Hills, Calif. Now don’t get the wrong idea here, Dillz is no slouch on the mic, even when not delivering the headiest material.

“DooDoo” opens the record up with loads of bounce and playful energy. It’s not bounce in the down-South use of the word, but in the fact that the chemistry between the music and the vocal performance are off one wall and onto another. And just in case you haven’t been debriefed enough, there’s plenty more where that came from. He has one foot firm in the past glories of jovial Hip Hop from the early ’80’s and the other in post-hipster good-time music. OK, I made that last one up, but it sounds great, right? Honestly, Beverly Dillz could be background music for any dance scene in Kickin’ It Old School or be playing out of a car radio on Just One Of The Guys and I wouldn’t bat an eye.

“Fat Love” is a throwback to what Kurtis Blow would refer to as “demonstrative rapping,” or picking one topic recognizable by almost anyone and making a song about it using specifics. It’s a lot harder to do (and maintain your credibility as a man, much less as an artist) than it sounds, but Kosha shows himself worthy to continue the tradition.

“Bubble Gum Pop” is a hair away from not fitting in sonically, but Dillz pulls it back in off the strength of his witty, well-timed rhyming. On the other hand, “Tastes Good” has him seemingly bucking for the next position in the “abstract imagery that sounds absolutely in place with reality” line behind Kool Keith, CL Smooth, and Ghostface Killah. The track features Dillz delivering not exactly rapid-fire but plenty nimble call and response nonsense over Belief’s percussion and horn instrumental. And he closes the record with “Kal Ha Kavad Kirkod”, a track that has Dillz fusing Hebrew spoken word with reggae pepperings. Even when toasting his heritage, he still manages to find the humor in himself and everything else.

Minus a few moments where things get to be a bit too absurd (which is sprinkled throughout the record and not gathered in one spot, thankfully) Beverly Dillz succeeds in bringing what made The Beasties, The Fat Boys, and the inimitable Biz Markie so well loved and respected in the first place. This is fun but classy music rooted in cultural pride and respectful craftsmanship.  Ray might have been right about it never raining in southern California, but Kosha Dillz and Belief brought plenty of heat to fuel the brush fires.