Unit 1 EP by C-Froo and Vice Review
Hip hop is at its best when it's honest. And being true to your dialect and background, or even more so - finding your own voice is a much treasured commodity. The diversity of accents and attitudes from the corners of just our little island never ceases to amaze me. With different backgrounds and different stories to tell, the artists creating the mountain of brilliant music before us are proving once again that we make some of the best music and have some of the best scenes in the world. But it's not only that, it's the honesty and quality of the sound that we bring, not to mention that in my humble eyes we have some of the most passionate lyricists and musicians alive today.
Underground HH are always happy to be building hip hop bridges. In fact, you could say it's our forte, and dropping in our inbox this week is something special. Released this month is a brand new EP produced by the man behind the brilliant Wordplay Magazine Podcast - 'Vice'. The Unit 1 EP released on Crudely Cut Records is brought to you by Vice and MC C-Froo, and features some stunning cameo bars from a host of talented wordsmiths. The EP kicks off with a track fitting of the task, opening up the area for the fire that's set to come. Half Job Harry drops and apparently aims to do justice to the label name, because the beat is just the right kind of crude. It feeds the MCs C-Froo and Jonny Steele (an MC we're more than happy to see back here at UndergroundHH HQ) a nice big lump of raw hip hop meat to play with, and both performers sink their teeth in like they're hungrier than a bear after hibernation.
Hailing from Bristol and lively on the scene since mid-golden era, C-Froo has his flow locked. His scribbles tell an interesting story of a life lived in the reality of the beginning of the 21st century. Together with Vice, long time hip hopper and the creator of Street Soul Studios, they have chosen a sound that reflects their eclectic tastes, but it comes together as an EP well. Mastered by Bristol legend Rola, the album is a stage for other great contributions and wordsmithery. As well as Steele's addition, it also comes in the form of Audiosnax, Mista Swith and Donnie Numeric. It is also host to some brilliant vocals from female artists, a haunting and beautiful chorus in Head Under Water from Miss Cherie, and some massive bars from Miss Twist in EP closer We Never Miss. Each and every artist do Vice and C-Froo proud here, bringing to an already banging EP parts that deserve a lot of respect.
Unit 1 is a fantastic way to spend your lunch break or your evening. Quality artistry, and made by those with a clear love of the scene, the EP is something Bristol hip hop must be very proud of, and no doubt it will find an audience much further afield. We'll definitely be looking out for more from them in the future.
Invokal Verbalist Journalist
