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Album Details

• Artist: Musab
• EP:
Sab The Artist
• Label: Independent
• Year of Release: 2010
• ME Rating:
• Reviewed by: mark_morton on 2010-08-20

Musab is an interesting beast in that he refuses to lie complacently in a predefined genre. He is primarily a soul-flavored hip hop artist, but to simply pigeonhole him as such is to offend the versatility of his musicality. He infuses a pop/rock sensibility akin to Outkast and A Tribe Called Quest, which entices the listener to involuntarily bob his/her head while listening.

Musab can also actually sing when the song calls for it - that means no Auto-Tone for the kids playing the home game. Although Sab the Artist principally consists of a guy, a drum loop, and some samples, Musab is so capable in song construction that you'd almost swear that a full band was involved.

The lead track, "Lookin At Girls" takes the listener right back to the late 1980s / early 1990s when the Fresh Prince and Kid ‘n Play were in their heyday. The song playfully emulates their good-natured rhymes. However, it is not a throwback album. The spirit of the music is rooted in the old school, but the songwriting, execution and lyrical flow are poignantly of this era.

Something should also be said for Musab's aversion to brutal and harsh deliveries, which observably aligns him with Common, Talib Kweli, and Q-Tip. His rap M.O. is clearly witty romantic storytelling that is grounded in reality.

Listening to Sab the Artist is how one might expect Ice Cube to sound after you see one of his family-friendly films. It is very rare in this day and age to come across a rap album that steers clear of swearing and overtly suggestive lyrics.

Take it for what you will, but Musab is one of the very few rap artists that is generally safe for children to listen to. And I don't know if this damages his street credibility, but it does open the genre to a larger generational demographic - and not every kid can be weaned on the Wu-Tang Clan and NWA. Sab the Artist is honestly a breath of fresh air in an unfortunately formulaic environment.

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