Album: Alive & Living (Deluxe Edition)
Artist: Skeme
Released: October 16, 2012
After a steady and continuous mixtape grind, Inglewood emcee Skeme finally makes his album debut with Alive & Living.
Skeme brings forth a project boasting production credit by BeatBoy, Boi-1da, Chase N. Cashe, DJ Dahi , K.Roosevelt, THC, The Futuristiks, and Trend. He also flaunts a decent line of features as he teams up with Iggy Azalea, Bryan Roberts, Jay 305, Kent Jamz, Problem, ScHoolBoy Q, Dom Kennedy, and the latest west coast phenomena Kendrick Lamar.
Alive & Living includes the Jay 305 accompanied lead single “Ain’t ’Bout That Life”. Australian Grand Hustle rapstress, Iggy Azalea joins Skeme on “Mo Flow” where she flaunts a flawless delivery, alongside clever lines. Dom Kennedy, Bryant Roberts, and the Inglewood emcee spit over a Junior Mafia’s “Crush On You” inspired, Futuristiks, beat. Problem contributes to a slight seductive “trill” track on “Lean and Weed”. But it is the tracks that feature TDE members that outstandingly shine.ScHoolBoy Q joins Skeme on “Kidz With Gunz” on a very well “gangstafied” track where both emcees go in with full on gangsta-rap, west coast mentality. Compton’s Kendrick Lamar recites lines on “I Remember” as both speak on the changing times and the mentality that accompanies being real and the ambition to make it in this game.
Skeme provides a fine track on “Born to Ball” as he spits over a bare bones drum beat worth west coast keys produced by K.Roosevelt that hits close to home. He then comes in on the victorious “Headed Home” where he prides on putting on for his city. “Pull Up” is probably the most intriguing banger on the album though, guaranteed to be a a sudden anthem- “pull up, pop out, fuck! It’s nothing’…pull up, pop out, fuck! It’s nothin’…pull up, pop out, fuck! It’s nothin‘…!”
Alive & Living is a decent debut that proves that this Inglewood emcee has potential on the mic and should not be slept on. Make sure you cop this!
-Stace Fresh
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