Dark Ash

Dark Ash

Review: Tai Mahmud - The Ashes

Review: Tai Mahmud's The Ashes

 

If you wondered what is sounded like to have your conscious speak to you then Tai Mahmud's
The Ashes
is your joint.

This lyrical masterpiece provides a breath of fresh air and surpasses the smoke and mirrors that alludes to the current climate of hip-hop. Mahmud uses a defiant tone with The Ashes, but that's no surprised because this is what sets him apart in the emcee landscape.

The Ashes is vivid illustrated alliterations to common place anomalies, stepped up with a congruent beat. Mahmud uses history to his advantage to make his point. Simply put, Mahmud speaks from the soul in The Ashes.

His lyrics seem to match the cries of those often unheard. Literally dissecting his piece I found that he has created an opening to a web of deceit with the light of knowledge in a delicate, but sometimes blunt form.

Mahmud's eye-opening messages offer insight on several levels. Taking in what his subject matter is complex to say the least, but what Mahmud has effectively done in The Ashes is created a pathway to enlighten by allowing the listener to draw comparison from his content to their own personal observations -- a sort of "see for your self deal." Listening to this track just once can't completely do it any justice. It is just too mentally stimulating.

Comprehending the content of Mahmud's lyrics is one thing, but the delivery of those lyrics in melodic flow with the beat is another. Mahmud's rapid fire and steady delivery seals the deal in The Ashes. He rhythmically delivers punch lines and systematically takes the listener through a valley of peaks. He has effectively married the lyrics to the beat, and in turn, to the visual effects in the video.

Ashes generally fall once a fire (or controversy) has settled, but after listening to Mahmud's The Ashes it's come to rise up as we examine why those ashes fell in the first place.

I have drawn my own conclusion to what exactly Mahmud's ultimate message is, but I will leave that to the listener's interpretation because there can be an array of conclusions. The bottom line is: The Ashes starts with a quest for "why" and ends with a thirst of knowledge. So keep 'em coming back Mahmud, The Ashes have yet to settle.

P.S. Warning: This joint is for real hip-hop heads only.

 

By Saliqa Khan

 

About the Author

Saliqa is a regional hub editor and web producer for CBS News channel.

dark ash and pikachu