Grandmaster Flash
(Strut)
While most of rap’s early stars have faded from the spotlight,
Grandmaster Flash is still doing his thing. Of course, it’s easy to be
skeptical — at this point, no one’s going to argue his skills,
but is he still able to make relevant music? With The Bridge,
the legendary DJ answers that question with a resounding “yes.” Most of
the discs he’s dropped in recent years have flown under the radar, but
this time around he appeals to both old and new fans with a
star-studded roster of guests. On “Here Comes My DJ,” he teams up with
DJ Kool for a house-rockin’ jam that’s sure to get any party started;
the track recalls the energetic vibe of Kool’s classic, “Let Me Clear
My Throat.” Flash helps the spastic Busta Rhymes find his groove on
“Bounce Back” — the MC hasn’t sounded this good in years. “Those
Chix” breaks up the dudefest with some feisty female rhymes from
Princess Superstar, Byata and Hedonis Da Amazon — the girls can
definitely rock the mic. But the album’s best cut is “What If,” a
serious tune where KRS-One ponders what life would be like without
hip-hop. Thanks to the still-innovative Grandmaster Flash, we’ll never
have to know. — Eddie Fleisher
This article appears in Dec 17-23, 2008.
