Classic Boss: “1st & 10 Grind, Vol. 1” – a striking representative of the Texan hip hop scene
Almost all hip hop heads regard hit-makers as mainstream pop-rap crap. Well, almost all hip hop heads are wrong. Especially when it comes to Arlington Texas rapper Classic Boss. He is an incredible rhymer, and only are his flow and rhymes top-notch, he also adds the lyrical punch needed to give his tracks emotive momentum. Lyrically, Classic Boss conveys several relatable experiences, as though all the time he spent alone during the album’s production gave way to clear-cut reflections about himself and the people and events in his hemisphere.
Typical of southern rappers, he is bold and brash, not scared to air his views and throw down some braggadocio when he finds the space. But before you dismiss him as another cocky Texan rapper, you need to give his album “1st & 10 Grind, Vol. 1” a listen.
Classic Boss is at least as good as he claims, in terms of rhymes and flow. Seriously. He fires-up his songs with passion for his craft as well as the fuel his daughter adds to his aspirations. Another thing that is nice to hear is that Classic Boss is not as held back and reserved as most rappers. He throws out a lot of what’s on his mind on this album.
While he is certainly not trying to be controversial like some of his peers, Classic Boss does not shy away from hard hitting rhymes. The opening track “Paper” is an undeniable attraction in every aspect. Over a very dark instrumental, the Texas representative aggressively raps his way through the verses.
An impeccable flow, complimented by Classic Boss’ punchlines chaperones us through “Opening Drive” before launching into the rumbling party banger “Keep It 100”, one of the album’s highlights. “Pull Up” shows off the artist’s ability to take a catchy beat, and make it that much better. The track gets the treatment here, as Classic Boss works the beat.
On “Incredible” and “Dopeness” Classic Boss addresses his audience with a series of punchlines and melodic lines making for another set of good tracks. Although the hooks are smooth and catchy, the emcee’s delivery once again is as hard as ever. After the previous track, Classic Boss mellows out on the beat of “OooWee”, crafting a deep groove; his delivery is once again flawless, making for another one of the album’s better songs.
But the best is still to come, and it arrives with “Handle My Business”, “Stacks”, “Dreams” and “Lose Control”, as the music’s wistful gravitas supplies Classic Boss with the ideal backdrop for philosophical nuggets and convincingly energetic flow.
He delivers lyrical blows – sudden, blunt, and ruthless – without forgetting the importance of a powerful hook to seduce the listener into his all-embracing world. And they’re not just a damn good rap record’s high points; more crucially, they’re convincing proof that there’s so much creativity going on here.
It’s thrilling to listen to Classic Boss shred his verses over street bangers, while the production on “1st & 10 Grind, Vol. 1”, is inspired by the typical bass-driven Southern productions. Practically Classic Boss shows us he can murder any beat and is a striking representative of the current underground Texan hip hop scene.
