RedCloud is a talented artist, who posses a natural ability to entertain fans through exciting music presented with passion, and originality. RedCloud’s rhymes are as interesting as his vocal performances, leaving fans drawn into his creative music. RedCloud is described as a Mexican, a Native American, A Black Kenpo Practitioner, an underground battle rapper, a big reggae fan, a silly goof off as well as a god fearing believer, but most evident RedCloud is a talented artist containing a wide degree of skill, and ability. Is This Thing On? is an excellent premier release by RedCloud.
Is This Thing On?, represents the ease in which RedCloud delivers his music. RedCloud does not come off as the most serious emcee, but rather, as a fun loving artist only concerned about making good music, and having fun doing it. RedCloud expresses conceptual content within his music, strongly relevant to his cultural background.
All of the songs featured on “Is This Thing On?” are exceptional, featuring excellent production, penetrating beats, and overly appeasing vocals. The best cut on this album is “Last Of The Mex-hee-cans”, a short song ( just over 2 minutes ), featuring celestial drum chaos, and fiery vibes served up by sirROC, which RedCloud converts to raw intensity through his contribution of verbal ambiguity. Last Of The Mex-hee-cans is also featured on the Aberfoyle Springs Compilation, released under HipHopHotSpot.Com, featuring a wide variety of talented artists, and 80 minutes of the best underground hip hop music unheard. Last Of The Mex-hee-cans is one of very few songs on the album that features RedCloud in a solo vocal effort. Other highly notable tracks include “RedClouds by Day” which features Playdough, and another top favorite “Ridiculous Junk” featuring top talents such as Braille, Mr Tru, Man Of War, and Gibraan. “Ridiculous Junk” is easily the second best cut on the album, and not because the other songs lack, but because “Ridiculous Junk” featuring super talent guest appearances, which make for an excellent track. Ridiculous Junk is also featured on the Aberfoyle Springs Compilation, as its definitely a top fan favorite amongst underground hip hop tracks.
Strong points to this album include its constant supply of good music fans will enjoy, its wide supply of super-talent guest appearances which include producers such as sirroc, playdough, mark mohr, byron musser, martyr, redcloud, petter smart, and guest performers such as sackcloth fashion, playdough, pigeon john, christafari, martyr, eternal soul, braille, gibraan, etc, and its excellent vocal performances, and explosively sound production. Syntax Records also needs to be complimented on their outstanding contribution to this albums high achievements. Syntax Records is the premier label for exceptional Christian Hip Hop music, so fans should tune in, and definitely plug into Fashion Expo where they can also catch RedCloud featuring on this excellent double disc compilation effort.
The leading track on this album, “Pow Wow”, is a plaguing factor when considering its artistic expression that hinders looping of the album. No matter how artistic introduction based joints are to an album, without even the shortest verse, or a electrifying beat, listeners are often tuned out before even getting to the first full length joint. “Pow Wow” serves up true artistic expression; however, it fails to serve up anything the majority of fans will truly appreciate, especially when listening to the album in another session, or looping.
Some fans will critique the way in which RedCloud overly makes light of certain subject matter, and touchy issues; however, some fans will also appreciate the realism RedCloud exhibits being true to himself when he performs, letting loose his thoughts, and rhyming about something as oppose to nothing, or bling bling ying yang.
All of the tracks featured on RedCloud’s debut release, Is This Thing On?, are impressive; however, two other note worthy tracks that need to be mentioned are “The Pigeon John Song”, and “When Kenpo Strikes”.The Pigeon John Song features the high profile, super talented Pigeon John, and basically the joint comes off as a true story about RedCloud wanting to collab with the mighty Pigeon John on a joint. “When Kenpo Strikes” is a darker track that handles presenting the attack skills RedCloud possess. Not the livest club popping track, but it’s a fan appeasing track that’s very entertaining.
RedCloud is a multi-talented lyricist who exhibits various microphone technics within his performances, and who has mastered the art of keeping fans entertained, into the music. Some of the allure of “Is This Thing On” must be credited to the extremely talented production team of deck, but a tight production isn’t much without a complementing tight vocal contribution. “Is This Thing On?” is a great album fans will appreciate, and enjoy.
Production Team On Deck: sirroc, playdough, mark mohr, byron musser, martyr, redcloud, petter smart.
Super Talent Guest Appearances: sackcloth fashion, playdough, pigeon john, christafari, martyr, eternal soul, braille, gibraan, and others.
Track Listing:
1. Pow Wow
2. Last Of The Mex-hee-cans
3. When Kenpo Strikes
4. Cali Blacktop feat. Sackcloth Fashion
5. RedClouds By Day feat. Playdough
6. Telephone Company
7. The Pigeon John Song feat. Pigeon John
8. Musical Aggression feat. Christafari
9. Otherside Of The Pillow feat. Martyr
10. Final Daez feat. Eternal Soul & DJ TreyQel
11. Infinite Sonic
12. Koyote Gospel feat. Elijah One
13. Ridiculous Junk feat. Braille, Mr. Tru, Man of War, Gibraan
14. Is This Thing On?
15. Dismissal
