In my days I’ve been called a lefty wing nut for some of my ideas around race, gender, sex and power. Yet when it comes to my taste in rap music I couldn’t be more patriarchal and sexist. Shit, call me the Akinyele of rap appreciation. Outside a few late Golden Era singles from Latifah and Lyte, and the material Lauryn, Foxy and Kim released in the mid 90s, you won’t find me praising or playing much rap with a female emcee as the center of  it. It’s not about quality or content, it simply comes down to tone. So much of the mythology and sound of rap emerged from a hyper-masculine energy, that irregardless of whether it can be classified as street or conscious, that tone of the male voice over beats is an essential part of what captivates my listening ear. Without further defense of my indefensible position, I can definitely appreciate quality work from a female rapper when I hear it. Unfortunately, Boog Brown’s The Brown Study Remixes does not fall into that category.

To be frank about this, Boog is not a very engaging rapper. Is she capable of writing quality rhymes? Sure, but captivating or entertaining? She is far from it. Her rap style/flow is redundant, dry and monotonous, with her word play and technical proficiencies being C-level at best. Boog speaks about positive things such as fighting gentrification and the beauty of Black Love, but that is only half the battle. Just like gun and drug talk, we’ve heard all “conscious” topics before. With the art of rapping today, it’s not about the originality of the content so much, but its presentation. With this in mind, The Brown Study Remixes mostly feels like looking at a once glorious neighborhood mural decay from neglect. It’s not that the sound is old, but the technique and execution lack a new touches and insight.

This collection of remixes is filled with sounds from some of the best up-n-coming sample-based beat-heads: 14KT, Apollo Brown and Has-Lo, but the stand out record is Georgia Anne Muldrow’s remix of “My Love”. The thumpin’ Nintendo-ism of the beat sits under and propels Boog’s vocals perfectly to center-stage as Boog professes to the great qualities of her relationship. MarvWon’s remix “Friction” also shines with a fuzzy synth horn layered above some guttural drums and bass that have come to define all that’s great about contemporary Detroit rap. All in all though, The Brown Study Remixes has a feeling that we’ve been around this rap block before and it has little to with the remix angle. The album comes across as a collection of singles were the cohesiveness and dynamism of the records gets lost and leaves Boog Brown coming off as another rapper with good connections. As I’ve said time and again through various reviews this year, it takes more than good rhymes and beats to stand out in the current rap market. Leaving The Brown Study Remixes as another project that will just take up bandwidth.

2.5 out of 5 stars

2.5 out of 5

Hit the skip for the “U.P.S.” visuals.

Have you ever dreamed of a place, far away from it all?

Where the air you breathe is soft and clean, and children play in fields of green

And the sound of guns doesn’t pound in your ears.

From the moment Shawn Phillips’ disembodied voice glides across a soothing blend of strings and acoustic guitar, it’s apparent that Apollo Brown’s new instrumental album will travel far beyond his usual boundary of sample-heavy boom bap, punctuated by the throaty wails of soul singers and nostalgic crackling of old vinyl. That’s not to back the prominent Detroit producer into an artistic corner, but it is difficult to imagine Apollo constructing anything but dirty, methodical compositions, over which Journalist 103, Boog Brown and others wax poetically about better days and surpassing strife. On Gas Mask, for instance, Apollo’s urgent soundtrack painted an intricate landscape of angst and urgency within the Motor City. On Brown Study, the mood was relaxed, as the producer’s stripped-down approach played well against Boog Brown’s fluid storytelling.

Perhaps on purpose, Apollo is equally restless and subdued on Clouds, a thoughtful 27-track opus that remains true to the producer’s gritty hip-hop roots, while resurrecting the reflective spirit of J-Dilla. With his latest recording, Apollo does what few composers are able to do: He crafts an instrumental project so compelling that vocals aren’t needed to emphasize his point. In fact, words would’ve gotten in the way.

Instrumental albums teeter dangerously between exuberance and monotony. The best projects tend to have quick song transitions that take listeners on an efficient journey through sonic space. Conversely, instrumental albums with long, repetitive loops have shorter shelf lives and tend to plummet upon consumption. It’s a fine line that only a handful of producers can balance, given the immediacy of our current Internet-driven music industry, in which projects are outdated just months after being released. And it can be even more challenging in hip-hop, since the focus has shifted from the extended break beats of its infancy to the overconfident lyricism of its adulthood.

To simply call Clouds a “hip-hop record” is a disservice, as its calm feeling is similar to the breezy melodic ambiance of pianists Burt Bacharach and Sergio Mendes. With Apollo, however, he blends strings and chilling piano chords with booming drums, resulting in a sophisticated recording more suited for thinking than freestyle rapping. “Drinking Life”, for instance, stands out as a captivating, synth-heavy arrangement that’s also perfect for ciphers. And if producers are measured by their crate-digging abilities, Apollo proves that he’s worthy of praise. On “Tao Te Ching”, he composes a leisurely interpretation of the oft-sampled “Humpty Dumpty”, released by Placebo some 40 years ago.

In other circumstances, an album with so few standout songs could spell doom for the project. In Apollo’s case, the lack of noteworthy tracks on Clouds adds to the project’s cohesiveness, resulting in a seamless recording that easily ascends to the top of his brief discography. If Apollo Brown’s last instrumental album — Make Do — was drenched in upbeat hip-hop with vocal loops, Clouds is equally saturated in nocturnal hip-hop with fewer samples and scratches. Here, dusty Inspectah Deck and Nas vocals are replaced with horns, finger snaps and hollow echoes. All told, Clouds is moody without being overly emotional. It’s reflective and not too brooding.

4 out of 5 stars

4 out of 5

Hit the skip for the visuals.

Stream the instrumental of “Just Be” below and download the project after the jump.

Download: Boog Brown & Apollo Brown – Brown Study [Instrumentals]

Stream early mixtape standout, “Grey Skies” by Gods’Illa, below. Download the tape after the jump.

Download: Various Artists – Beatz and Lyrics 2 Go (A3C Mixtape) RV Edition

Download: Boog Brown & Apollo Brown – “Shine” (yU Remix) [Right Click Save-As]

Hit the skip to check out the visuals

Hip Hop’s longstanding male dominance is no industry secret. In its 30-plus years of existence, Hip Hop music’s gender imbalance has been quietly accepted by supporters and artists alike. Without question, there have been commercial success stories such as Salt-N-Pepa and MC Lyte to some degree but the current landscape looks bleak in the mainstream for the female MC. To date, the enigmatic Nicki Minaj stands firmly at the helm of female MCs in the spotlight. In the underground however, there exists a strong number of female MCs who have talent that rival and oftentimes surpasses their male counterparts. Among that talented throng is Detroit-born, Atlanta-based MC Boog Brown. After delivering the entertaining Grind Season Vol. 1 mixtape earlier in the year, Boog Brown returns paired with fellow Detroit native producer Apollo Brown to create the soulful and melodic Brown Study.

The album gets underway on a strong note with ”Marinate”, Apollo provides a sparse horn loop backed by light drums play the background while the confident and autobiographical rhymes from Boog Brown are the true highlight; Boog’s effortless flow is on display early. “Master Plan” is an early highlight with Apollo’s epic track and Boog’s earnest delivery gelling well – the rhymes resonate with humility and deliberate thought while the hook ties the MC’s vision into a neat bow. “Friction” is an aggressive head nod inducing banger from Apollo and featuring fellow Michigan powerhouse MCs Miz Korona and Invincible. While Miz Korona and Boog Brown offer some strong lines, the blistering and focused rhymes from Invincible steal the show easily. “Just Be” is a delightful shift in mood as Apollo softens up the sound and offers an atmospheric track that’s nearly perfect for Boog Brown’s excellent vocals. Typically the love song in Hip Hop music has been rendered a corny and unnecessary staple but Boog’s version works simply because she sells the listener on her intentions and vulnerability – a rare feat for any MC.

“My Love” continues the romance vibe but fails to impress as the track before it due in part to the formulaic R&B vocals of Poodie The Byz. Apollo’s choice of a sample and drums feels stiff and inorganic, even with Boog Brown rapping with clarity and conviction. The track is entirely skip-worthy in every regard. After a series of slightly stronger tracks, such as the amazing verses and production in the track “Carpe Diem”, the album really peaks near the end. “Play The Game” is one of the LP’s brighter spots and the feature from Low Budget member Kenn Starr is an excellent pairing. Boog’s honest portrayal of having to use her sexuality for gain and fighting for respect beyond her looks is refreshing. Kenn Starr, who is in possession of one of the most dexterous flows on the planet, is in top form. The hook is a touch thin but serves the purpose of the track well enough.

Closing the LP is “Understanding”, which is arguably the album’s best offering – in fact, it should be a candidate for song of the year. Boog Brown’s autobiographical storytelling ability and her uncanny knack of being fearlessly transparent belies all of the bravado present in points through the LP; Apollo Brown does the listener a favor and saves the best for last with his production. It is here when Boog’s artistry is fully realized – a beautiful woman with more than enough measurable talent who is willing to sacrifice image and herself to prove her worth. If Boog Brown can continue in this vein of balancing her confidence with the sheer naked portrayals of her life, she can soon count herself amongst the greats MCs regardless of gender.

3 out of 5 stars

3 out of 5

But, I digress. Boog took the time out to speak with us about her musical inspirations, struggles and philosophies (many of which actually transcend the music-real life boundaries). Hit the skip to pick her brain:

Potholes In My Blog: Hey there, thanks for taking the time to speak with us. How are you doing?

Boog Brown: Oh man, I am elated! I am elated to be here. This – this is… wow [laughs]. It’s surreal a bit – the amount of work I’ve put in and the amount of time I’ve been doing this. I am really blessed more than anything else.

PIMB: Many people might know you for your latest collaborative effort with Apollo Brown, but you have actually been around for quite some time. Talk about your early years as an emcee and poet. How did you get into hip-hop?

BB: Well, I had been writing poetry since about the time I was 14, after my mom died. I was in high school, entering my freshman year. My mom passed away and really my only outlet was poetry. I started writing poetry but I didn’t like to rhyme. I enjoyed the free verse, kind of prose-ish. I decided I wanted to freestyle with my homeboys when I was in college in 2003, 2004. That was cool, but I was really wack. But Invincible, that was my homegirl even outside of hip-hop. We would kick it, and she would give me pointers. I would ask, “How do I do this?” When I moved to Atlanta, I really wanted to improve on how to make moves. I ended up linking with Illastrate, and from there I just practiced, practiced, practiced. I’d be in the lab, practicing how I would write, how I would spit, my pocket, and my confidence on the mic just escalated. It was kind of more of a gradual progression.

PIMB: That’s what they say – it’s all about the journey not the destination right?

BB: Exactly! I would not have thought that I would be where I am right now. Three years ago, when I first moved to Atlanta, if you had asked me where I’d be, I couldn’t have told you any of this. Not in a million years.

PIMB: Being a talented female rapper, did you face skepticism or hurdles on your hip-hop career path, as a result of your gender? If so, how did you handle it so well?

BB: Of course there were people that had their feelings about female emcees. There were always those people, but I had a pretty good foundation. I never thought about myself as a “female emcee.” I won’t say that Lauryn Hill and MC Lyte and Queen Latifah weren’t influences for me, but the emcees I really was really digging were Nas, OutKast, Raekwon, Method Man, Redman. I’m emceeing for the fact that I want to emcee – not because I feel like hip-hop needs a place for a female emcee somewhere. So, I just really paid it no mind. I just stayed caught up in the idea that if you’re not paying attention to me as an emcee, you’re missing out.

PIMB: You played SXSW earlier this year. Surely there were some people who may have known your work from The Grind Season Vol. 1. How was that entire experience for you? Was the crowd receptive to your music?

BB: I think a couple people – my fam – really knew who I was. The people who had followed me since the beginning knew I would be there. Invincible actually set it up so that I could be on that phenomenal show with Tiye Phoenix, Eternia, Bahamadia – so many other women. [Invincible] set it up so I could be a part of that, so all my family from back home kind of knew what I was doing.

That experience was so huge for me though. I had heard about SXSW, and as early as I was in my career, I didn’t think that I would be a part of something that big. It was a bit surreal. I’m still like, “Oh my god!” I’m still digesting all of it.

PIMB: Detroit has a rich musical history, even beyond the scope of hip-hop. How has that city and its heritage played a role in your development as an artist?

BB: My uncle and my grandmother were pretty big on the gospel scene. We all used to sing in the same space; singing along to Aretha Franklin. My mom used to sing at nightclubs when she was younger. So we always had music in the household. Not so much hip-hop, but more r&b, soul, funk and jazz. I played violin when I was younger, so that’s where my musical interests were. But then I started hearing De La Soul, N.W.A., Snoop and Dre, and all those cats, and that’s what sparked my interest in hip-hop. Once ATLiens came out I just jumped all the way into it. Nas – Illmatic; It Was Written.

So Motown [the city, not the label] has definitely had its influence. Slum Village, Dilla, Phat Kat, Marv Won – there’s so, so many artists there. Even outside the city in Ypsilanti and Ann Arbor with Athletic Mic League, 14KT. Yeah, KT is my homie. Good people. Even beyond good artists, they’re good people first.

PIMB: Let’s dig into Brown Study. How did you and Apollo first link up, and what attracted you to each other’s music?

BB: Twitter [laughs]. Yeah, I love Twitter. It was supposed to be like a What Can Brown Do For You?-type thing. It was going to be Kev Brown, Apollo, me, and maybe Danny Brown. It might have been just a passing thing, but then Mello Music came along and said they were serious about it. So I was like, “Well, if you’re serious, I’m serious.” So the whole thing snowballed and came together.

PIMB: What in your mind was the biggest challenge throughout the entire recording process?

BB: I think the biggest challenge was not being able to sit in the studio with Apollo. I wouldn’t say it was a challenge – it was just different than the way I had made music before. Sitting in a studio with a producer is important in building chemistry, but it really turned out to not be that big of an issue. Still, I would have preferred to sit with him and hear how he felt when I was recording.

The biggest thing was that I didn’t want to fall into the trap of trying to make an album for everybody. I didn’t want to please everybody. I wanted to remain true to myself as an artist, do justice to the beats that Apollo laced, and make an album that we’ll be able to sell.

PIMB: Is there a particular message that you hope fans take away from your music? And along those lines, do you have a particular song that you feel best expresses what Boog Brown is all about?

BB: “Understanding” and “Shine” probably describe where I am in my life right now. Those joints really will give you a good grasp on who I am as a person and as an artist. Just do you. It’s okay to be who you are, and do what you do. You don’t need someone to be like “that’s dope;” you don’t need to have someone cosign you, or call your name in good circles. You don’t have to retweet ten links to everybody. You just have to make good music. That’d what Illastrate taught me – just make good music and do you. If you make good music, people will gravitate towards you. That’s really the message of Brown Study – just do you!

PIMB: What’s next for Boog Brown in 2010 and on into 2011? Can we expect to hear some more music from you anytime soon?

BB: I’m working on a joint with Lex Boogie called The Boogie. This is Lex Boogie from the Bronx. I’ve got another project in the works with Illastrate. I decided that because he was here and he’s as dope as he is, I would just go with Illastrate on this one. Then there will be a few new videos coming from Brown Study.

PIMB: Thanks so much for the interview. Any final words for the fans out there?

BB: Thank you. I love you. That’s really all I can say. Thank you for helping me get to where I am.