While the profile of Southern hip-hop had risen in the few years preceding this album's release, relatively little had come out of the state of Mississippi. That is until
Crooked Lettaz released their debut album,
Grey Skies. MCs
David Banner and Kamikaze have contrasting styles that work well together as both spit out thoughtful lyrics on tracks like "Chicken & Swine," "Trill," and "I Know." Production-wise, the album is a fresh take on Southern hip-hop. "A Girl Named Cim" features live instrumentation, something rarely heard on hip-hop records from down South. "Firewater" cleverly blends blasting horns and popping snares along with, of all things, a Japanese koto, while "Get Crunk" cleverly re-works
Run DMC's classic "Rock Box." Overall,
Grey Skies is an impressive effort, showing that there is more to the state of Mississippi than the blues. ~ Jon Azpiri