Mr. J. Medeiros

When Mr. J. Medeiros’s crew the Procussions passed through town last year as show openers for A Tribe Called Quest’s nostalgic 2K7 tour, no amount of intelligent prose could have overshadowed the mohawked MC’s confusing Anthony Kiedis-styled rock star stage persona. On record, however, Medeiros gives a far more impressive showing, blending impassioned verses laced with insightful humanitarian views drawn from years of social work with clever tales of love, life and struggles over cooled-out, melodic grooves that actively drive the message home. Meaty stories of child prostitution and alcohol abuse on cuts like "Constance” and "King Of Rock Bottom” are balanced by the romantic sweet nothings found on (the noticeably mis-sequenced) album opener "Amelie,” featuring French MC 20Syl of hip-hop/jazz troupe Hocus Pocus. Through it all, Medeiros manages to maintain a constant thematic intensity without every bludgeoning the listener with his perspectives, adjusting the volume at just the right moments to make this album listenable no matter where your emotions may be.