Gipp warps your mind

Big Gipp

Big Kipp

Koch Entertainment

Part fun, part…

Big Gipp

Big Kipp

Koch Entertainment

Part fun, part political and all smooth rhymes, Big Gipp’s solo debut rap album Mutant Mindframe proves – just as a variety of other artists do – that rap music doesn’t have to be exclusively about money and naked women to be worthy of an audience.

Big Gipp is a member of the rap group Goodie Mob and part of the Atlanta-based, rap artist collective called Dungeon Family, which includes Outkast. He has now pulled together an impressive solo album that incorporates his southern roots and the social issues that have affected him personally.

The tracks on this album are diverse in subject and in the variety of beats that accompany the words. Some songs, such as “Steppin Out” are purely for fun, with a dance beat appropriate for clubs and lyrics about being a “player.” The song “Strange” has a ’70s funk beat that works well, as Big Gipp talks about partying. “3 Wordz” tackles a typical rap subject: love and the gangsta lifestyle.

Big Gipp does not stray from the standards of the genre. Instead, he expands on them and gives these tired topics some originality. In “Let’s Fight,” Big Gipp doesn’t rap about fighting others, but about fighting against issues such as rising taxes and corruption among political leaders.

Even when Big Gipp’s songs turn more serious, there is no superfluous preaching. He simply speaks his mind, keeping the same beats and clever rhymes that make his less poignant songs entertaining and energetic. The moving song “Creeks” serves as a different kind of memorial for Atlanta’s missing and murdered children. “These Times” acknowledges the struggles that many black people face in America, and Big Gipp offers his own solutions to these problems. No matter the kind of song he’s performing, Big Gipp never loses the unique style that makes him worth listening to.

Mutant Mindframe is not the typical rap CD, but it won’t alienate hardcore and casual hip-hop fans. Big Gipp only enhances the more enjoyable parts of rap music and uses these features to highlight his thoughtful words. There is plenty of variety in his record, and each change works in Big Gipp’s favor. For those rap fans looking for something new, or anyone who’s curious, Mutant Mindframe is a CD that shouldn’t be overlooked.

Recommended if you like: Outkast, The Roots, Common