Kaisor Sosa - Cop And Blow
2009, Kaisor Sosa
Kaisor Sosa, aka Ryan Glover, is one of the biggest names in underground rap in the Chicago, Illinois market. A previous semi-finalist in both Kanye West’s Chicago Idol contest and Rhymespitters II, Sosa is the only artist to ever reach the semi-finals in both. Sosa’s debut, full-length album, Cop And Blow was unleashed in early 2009.
Cop And Blow opens with two marketing songs, I Got Swag and Young Fresh 2 Def. The first is an introduction to Kaisor Sosa and the second is a "street cred" song. Unfortunately the marketing angle to these songs is so blatant that it draws attention away from any artistry that might be involved. Kaisor Sosa displays real enthusiasm for his music, but that's his prime selling point. From a rhythm perspective the music on Cop And Blow tends toward the more mundane, failing to really stand out in an over-crowded hip-hop field. As a poet/rhymer Kaisor Sosa is decent but not outstanding. The People (featuring Sticman) tries to ply a revolutionary message but comes across as xenophobic even when pointing out real social issues. Intentionally or not, Sosa falls into the clichés of race relations rather than attempting to offer new insight or solutions. You Don't Wanna See Me shows some potential and some thought that rises above marketable ideals, but on the whole Cop And Blow just seemed a little too contrived to hit home.
Kaisor Sosa has potential; his enthusiasm alone will sell some CDs and downloads, but this is a young artist trying on different voices and styles in search of one that seems like his own. Once he finds a voice he's comfortable with we'll start to see what he's really about. Cop And Blow is public viewing of this hip-hop dress-up session. Some things work to a point, but one gets the impression that Sosa is still a little too inured in pop culture images to really see himself. We look forward to seeing and hearing what he tries next, because there's a sense here that once he finds himself musically he'll have a lot to say.
Kaisor Sosa, aka Ryan Glover, is one of the biggest names in underground rap in the Chicago, Illinois market. A previous semi-finalist in both Kanye West’s Chicago Idol contest and Rhymespitters II, Sosa is the only artist to ever reach the semi-finals in both. Sosa’s debut, full-length album, Cop And Blow was unleashed in early 2009.
Cop And Blow opens with two marketing songs, I Got Swag and Young Fresh 2 Def. The first is an introduction to Kaisor Sosa and the second is a "street cred" song. Unfortunately the marketing angle to these songs is so blatant that it draws attention away from any artistry that might be involved. Kaisor Sosa displays real enthusiasm for his music, but that's his prime selling point. From a rhythm perspective the music on Cop And Blow tends toward the more mundane, failing to really stand out in an over-crowded hip-hop field. As a poet/rhymer Kaisor Sosa is decent but not outstanding. The People (featuring Sticman) tries to ply a revolutionary message but comes across as xenophobic even when pointing out real social issues. Intentionally or not, Sosa falls into the clichés of race relations rather than attempting to offer new insight or solutions. You Don't Wanna See Me shows some potential and some thought that rises above marketable ideals, but on the whole Cop And Blow just seemed a little too contrived to hit home.
Kaisor Sosa has potential; his enthusiasm alone will sell some CDs and downloads, but this is a young artist trying on different voices and styles in search of one that seems like his own. Once he finds a voice he's comfortable with we'll start to see what he's really about. Cop And Blow is public viewing of this hip-hop dress-up session. Some things work to a point, but one gets the impression that Sosa is still a little too inured in pop culture images to really see himself. We look forward to seeing and hearing what he tries next, because there's a sense here that once he finds himself musically he'll have a lot to say.
Rating: 2.5 Stars (Out of 5)
You can learn more about Kaisor Sosa at www.myspace.com/kaisorsosa1 or http://www.kaisorsosa.com/. I was unable to find a purchase point for Cop And Blow, but you can email the artist through his website. Don’t use MySpace, as it appears he hasn’t signed in there in a while.
You can learn more about Kaisor Sosa at www.myspace.com/kaisorsosa1 or http://www.kaisorsosa.com/. I was unable to find a purchase point for Cop And Blow, but you can email the artist through his website. Don’t use MySpace, as it appears he hasn’t signed in there in a while.
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