eXceL of F.A.M - Watch Me Freestyle

Hear The Track Here

Gaze as lovingly as you want at this artists name, that is positively the last time I am going to type that bad boy out. Let's just call him Excel and be done with it and hope that Micro$oft don't notice that they could turn yet another buck right here. You may remember that I reviewed this guys group, Just F.A.M. (Freshset) whose Dreamer (December 2009) gained it a Must have rating and a mention in the 2009 Stevies and that's just on a first outing. The most surprising thing is that - as you may have guessed - this is music from the world of hiphop, not always a favoured genre. Mind you, when it is done properly - no matter how commercial it may be even - it would definitely find favour in my ears. 'it's very different from the group material' Excel said when he requested the review - this, as you may have guessed is his solo effort.

Beats come from (I think) Jay-Z's The Life And Times Of S. Carter, so that's Micro$oft and Jay Z he's managed to tick off for starters. I'm beginning to like this guy! More to the point, here is a rapper who posts his rap and that's always a bonus for us white folk (Ed: God, I hope that's a joke Gilmore). I remember Excel also saying that this track is much darker than anything Just FAM would do, and there is indeed a very dark undercurrent to the track, even down to its almost grime music backing track.

If ever there is a track that slouches along, Watch Me Freestyle is it. I can't say I have heard much of Jay-Z's work, it's not an area I'm much interested in but I do like whats happening on this very laconic beat and, truth to tell, Excel does a more than competent job in the vocal/lyrical seat at times driving the track forward and at other times riding the beat like a wild beast. All of which makes for a pleasant listen indeed, although you should be aware that it really does deserve it's Parental Advisory and contains some very strong lyrical images. Me, I like rappers, and I especially like rappers who take absolute control over what is happening and Excel - by this count - does that big style.

Highly Recommended dark rap