Ray West and Kool Keith get together for 'A Couple of Slices'
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By Alex Dionisio
For his last two albums, legendary Bronx rapper Kool Keith teamed up with one producer exclusively on each affair. The 'techno'-logically influenced El Dorado Driven was manned by Teddy Bass and the classic dustbin sounds from Time? Astonishing! were arranged by Madlib-like Mello Musician L'Orange. This time around, Keith has done the same thing for his second album of 2015, A Couple of Slices, forming an equitable partnership with fellow Bronx boy Ray West of Red Apples 45. Granted, there is not a tremendous amount that is game-changing or trail-blazing here, but it is simply high quality high-roller/comedy rap.
The duo make for a stirring, soluble pair. Ray's soft listening beats with detectable instruments go well with Keith's laid back, uncensored talk for a casual ride with plenty of depth; Ray puts a more classical, artful spin on the traditional hip-hop beat, and Keith of course is a funny, riotous blabbermouth who uses some of the most esoteric metaphors to cut lame, wack suckers down. A Couple of Slices is formulaic to a degree, but it is a formula that works: fun, clever putdowns, rapping about being better and younger than the whole rap field (the hilarious irony is that Keith is older than most of the others), and romantic explicit sex all to his evolved, wandering lyricism and unmistakeable vocal intonation.
With his fighting persistence to stay musically relevant for his age and veteran status, Keith has again delivered a project of great lyrical depth that triggers an emotion response thanks to its universally relatable subject matter revolving around sex, ridicule and humor. WARNING: the music herein might piss off virgin ears, but DISCLAIMER: this is what Keith has been doing for some time now. Props of course go out to guests Cormega, 3rd Eye, Dying Breed, and AG of Showbiz & AG but especially Ray West for keeping real music in hip-hop and for making a fresh new collaboration with Keith here.
