Many people have forgotten vital aspects of the art form we know today as Hiphop, one in particular… battling. There was once a time that you couldn’t even consider yourself an MC unless you battled other MC’s and earned your fellow artists respect. With today’s rap excessive emphasis on material possessions and monetary gain, being able to hold your own in a MC battle to be a rapper is hardly a requirement in today’s mainstream industry. Real Deal who is known for his lyrical skills as a battle MC, takes time out of his battle ridden days to drop The Working Man’s Emcee, to show that the art form is not dead and showing all opposition that his war wounds, if any, have quickly healed and is more than ready to go head to head with any MC. Criticism and pessimism is something Real is more than familiar with,(as should any “good” mc should be) but is out to show and prove that the art form is alive and well. Let’s be real, “most” battle MC’s usually come up short when it comes to putting a good album together, as their talent mostly thrives in live competitive sceneries, not alone in front of a mic constructing stories and cohesively using abstract ideas to create songs. Real Deal is truly a maverick and a complete exception to that notion and has given you a 16 track bio to prove it. “A walk through my last 4 years. From the battles on the mic to my battles as a man this album captures everything you need to know about me.” – Real Deal

The album begins with “Best Kept Secret”, a good song to start off this album. The beat is energetic and strong and Real is no different as he sizes up his opponents, taking stabs at the cliché “hard mc’s” of today. Lyrically displaying the science behind his name, Real goes in and holds no punches. “An Ode to a Great Man” is a good song, summarizing his love and respect for his father while also boasting his storytelling and conceptual skills. Even though his father may never be recognized, receive an award, or drop an album, he will always be a star in Real’s eyes for everything he has done. I also dig the hook where instead of an actual “hook”, Real uses narrative excerpts to further illustrate his story. Michael P.K did his thing on the production side as well. The drums are sick (reminds me of producer Timbaland) on this joint as well and gives this track a lot of character. You wouldn’t normally hear a drum pattern on a song like this. Well done by both Michael and Real for his vision on this one. “My City” featuring Draztyk and B.White was another banger from The Working Man’s Emcee, but wasn’t a big fan of the hook. If it wasn’t for strong verses from Real and B.White(of The 58’s), the hook would have turned me off enough not to like the song. Basement Productions did their thing on the track and all artists definitely repped their city to the fullest, although in my opinion, Draztyk should have been left off this track and just had Real handle the first two verses. Basement Productions shows up again, producing the up-tempo banger “Burnin”. The beat is crazy, coming in a hundred miles and running with a hot sample to aid on this already hot beat and Real unsurprisingly does his thing again. Real kills this jam with a strong flow and rode this beat perfectly. (Diggin the hook too..Hot Jam) Real’s storytelling talents surface again on “A Day at a Time”, a deep jam about a loved one struggling with a drug addiction, and slowly watching them succumb to the effects of the drug and eventually watching him die in his arms, only to with his own hands shed tears as he carries his deceased kin’s casket.
From the storyline, to the story relevant wordplay, the song was strong from start to finish. The song also has an element of deepness that a lot of MC’s try to capture but are often ineffective, but Real obviously touches on some sensitive subject matter and he captures it lyrically very well. Emotion filled bars and captivating storyline carry this song as the beat was mediocre at best, but that’s definitely a characteristic of a good mc…to be able to hold an audience lyrically, not just because the beat was hot. “Now Your Gone” is another track where Real copes with the loss of a loved one, this time about a girl and walks us through his regrets and bad decision regarding the relationship. A must mention on the album is “Thank you for Being A friend” for the production alone. Produced by Mindbender, the track uses a classic sitcom theme from the show “The Golden Girls”…lolol…. (I laughed as soon as it came on) Mindbender killed this sample and conjured up a hot beat while Real devotes and dedicates the whole track to his fans, supporters, production team(s), friends, family and anyone who has been there through the trying times. I’m sure fans can appreciate this, and definitely was a good look. (lolol still laughing…good use of the sample)

The thing I respect about Real is that he is a true all-round MC. From destroying fellow rap cats in rap battles, to clever punch lines and imagery with his deep story telling ability, this album has a wide range of subject matter. In my opinion it takes a strong person to show so many “vulnerabilities” on an album in such a competitive, mudslinging contact sport such as rap. Apparently he is sound in himself and where he came from and shows he has nothing to hide. Not to mention he’s not a stranger to biting rappers heads off as we’ll. From hurting in the departure of a significant other, being poor, losing a loved one, big up’ing his dad, supporting his son and taking the time to thank the people who make the music and career happen…Real is the epitome of humble and from the battle grounds to the booth… he’s the definition of the peoples champ. 3.5/5

CLICK HERE FOR THE WORKING MAN’S EMCEE

CLICK HERE FOR BEHIND THE MIC WITH REAL DEAL

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