Reviewed by Lins Honeyman

Illinois group Hostyle Gospel have consistently offered up artistically brilliant and boundary-pushing Christian hip-hop since they emerged from fellow rap group the Elite MOC and this, their fourth album to date, will do their growing reputation no harm whatsoever. The core trio of Big Job, King Solomon and Proverb have succeeded in producing an album that shape-shifts from one track to the next with the laid back organic hip-hop of "Dream" sitting right next door to more angular offerings such as "Straight Snap" - all of which ensures that there's never a dull moment stylistically. The group are characteristically forthright when communicating matters of faith and they don't take any prisoners when defending God in tracks like the defiant "They Don't Know" whilst the loaded "Skittles & Iced Tea" and "No Justice No Peace" tell of the race issues that prevail in today's USA in stark and arresting fashion. Hostyle Gospel's success lies in an ability to offer up some truly creative and challenging wordplay delivered with technical brilliance and stylistic diversity and, with guest artists such as Tone Jonez, Lamorax and John G making cameo appearances, this is nothing short of an exemplary release.

The opinions expressed in this article are not necessarily those held by Cross Rhythms. Any expressed views were accurate at the time of publishing but may or may not reflect the views of the individuals concerned at a later date.

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