Philieano

Holy Homework

Skunk Records

(Philieano MySpace)

Skunk Records continues its semi-surprisingly recent activity with a release from yet another new artist. Last month it was the amazing reggae roots stylings of Toko Tasi, now we have Holy Homework, the debut album from solo MC Philieano.

Produced by Skunk founder Miguel (Sublime, Slightly Stoopid), Holy Homework sounds like it was born straight from the heart of the West Coast urban jungle. Philieano's hip hop is aggressively delivered and his words are spat with rhythmic and forceful precision.

Opening with the incredibly powerful, Time is Now, Philieano shouts a call to arms and makes his presence known. Over the album's 18 tracks, Super D’Accord hits hardest and with the most creative soundtrack with the impressive DJ work spun by DJ Helnaw (Capitol Eye).

What’s a rap album without a long list of special guests and Holy Homework is no exception. Long Beach Dub Allstars/Dubcat vocalist Opie Ortiz contributes to one of the album's many highlights in the spaghetti western themed Cisco. Opie’s cover art for this album is also simply amazing.

Philieano was a guest on a couple of tracks on Toko Tasi's debut album and here he returns the favor by appearing on the hypnotic Bonding With Me and Sacred Heart. The two certainly make for a logical and most importantly a dynamic pairing. My favorite guest appearance though is by Paulie Nugent (Burn Unit) and Lou Ranks on the cruise-y Wake Up.

While honestly, even though I am not the most hardcore hip hop fan going around, I know what I like and I really dig this. Philieano has created an album with enough creativity and head bobbing moments to capture and hold hostage my attention for its entirety. And for this white-bread schooled primarily in Beastie Boys, Jurassic 5 and RUN DMC that's a pretty great achievement.

Reviewed by Pilipo