Send "M.E.D. " Ringtones to your Cell 
| Pitchfork |
 M.E.D. is the rap equivalent of a middle-relief pitcher asked to go eight innings. He's left his mark in small doses on Madlib-produced tracks-- Lootpack's "Level Zero" and "Wanna Test"; Quasimoto's "24-7"; Madvillain's "Raid"-- but his 2005 full-length debut Push Comes to Shove revealed his limitations in short order. He's never been the most distinguishable member of the Stones Throw camp, for good or for bad: The same thing that's kept him from setting himself apart has also generally kept him from the embarrassments that happen when an MC's ambition outstrips his inspiration. He just punches the clock, drops in for 14 tracks, then punches out again, rapping like a man who keeps his head down and just goes through the motions, as though doing otherwise would get him fired.That the title is the most egregious thing about Classic is something of a minor relief, though it's also a good way to bait critics looking for something else to say about an album without much personality to it. (I'll bite: "more like Adequate.") The usual themes come up in his lyrics-- sex ("JWF"), weed ("Medical Card"), regional pride ("Where I'm From")-- and the common universality of his experiences and perspectives on these well-worn topics are relatable at the expense of being actually unique. Occasionally he'll hit on something like "Blaxican", which conflates the parallel civil rights struggles in his background, and leaves you wondering just what more he might have to say outside the confines of his indistinct lyrical style....full text |
| Stonesthrow |
| A quick glance at MED’s discography shows many classic releases from years past: Madvillain’s Madvillainy, Madlib’s Shades of Blue, J Dilla’s The Shining, Lootpack’s Soundpieces, Quasimoto’s Unseen. Each appearance showcases his well-rounded knack for lyricism, ranging from vivid street imagery to nostalgia to everything. On November 1st we have MED adding a new title to that list. The new album, Classic, drops November 1st. With the sophomore album, we're treated to collabs with label mate Aloe Blacc, Talib Kweli, Hodgy Beats (OFWGKTA), Oh No, Kurupt and Pok. Madlib produced the bulk of this album - 10 tracks - along with beats by Karriem Riggins, Oh No, Georgia Anne Muldrow and The Alchemist. MED speaks on the meaning of the new album’s title, “I called the LP Classic because that’s the approach I took: create music that has the potential to be played by every generation. This album deals with current issues, personal and within the community. Good-feeling music will always last and allow hip-hop to grow. Even though I recorded well LP was to do the music that I love to do but at the same time show growth.”...full text |
| Hevinnottingham |
| Stones Throw rapper MED (aka Medaphoar) began his career with a buzz, generating some praise for his contributions to heralded underground projects like Madlib’s Shades of Blue. The Oxnard, California native has since gone on to establish himself as part of a regional underground movement, frequently collaborating with the likes of Madlib, Oh No and Declaime, among others. After taking his time in coming out with his debut work, Push Comes to Shove, the results were mixed. Medaphoar came across as a bit overshadowed in the wake of the album’s pedigree of production (largely produced by Madlib, the album also finds Oh No, Jay Dee and Just Blaze all contributing bangers). The album displayed MED’s gut-checking vocals over some above-average beats, but his rhyming ultimately came across as rather uninteresting, occasionally throwing in some street-conscious wisdom between bars about smoking weed and reminiscing about past days. Fast forward six years and we find him in a similar position with the release of Medaphoar’s sophomore effort, Classic. MED has put in some strong work over the past couple years as a guest artist, teaming up with many of the same Stones Throw conglomerates, and again has Madlib backing his release, handling the majority of the production duties. Classic kicks off with MED discussing his grinding efforts as Georgia Anne Muldrow provides a spacey beat to match “Int’l”’s jetsetter imagery. Producer Oh No delivers an absolute gem for MED to shout out his hometown on the aptly titled, “Where I’m From”, which features an inspired contribution from Aloe Blacc. While the track doesn’t necessarily exhibit the lyrical ingenuity we might hope for, it’s good to see MED switch up his flow a bit and really attack the beat. As might be expected, the album’s biggest draw is the versatile sound in production. While it might not suggest continuity, the album’s sonic variance actually helps create a kind of fluidity, guiding the listener through each track. Each song maintains certain unique qualities about it, but simultaneously taps into the album’s generally gritty sense. “War and Love” is a dark, brooding Alchemist production, the type of street anthem for which MED’s heavy vocals are best suited. Similarly, Madlib contributes a bass-thumping beat for the menacing “Roll Out”, with MED getting help from co-conspirators Planet Asia and Kurupt. “Get That” featuring Pok is a street anthem in its most basic form, with yet another heavy banging beat....full text |
M.E.D. lyrics Music videoclips
|
| |||||||
