EMOTIONZ - GEMS

A little hip-hop treasure, Gems is a warm, thoughtful and hella groovy record from Emotionz, one of Vancouver's mightiest MCs and keepers of the culture. Gems is a lovely example of old school hip-hop aesthetic and beats flavoured with just enough spice from the modern era to keep it tasting fresh and delicious. “Warm” is the word that can't leave my head anytime this record is on. The production is lush and rich, sliding along at a deeply restful and calming pace. Lyrically, Emotionz is concerned with the earthly, the human, the immediate. If albums had mission statements, I think a good, simple mission statement for Gems would be “Anti-Bling.” While I personally don't need or want all of my rap diet to be on this tip – or really even to be making any point at all really – right now, in early 2020, this is exactly what I (And my best guess is a quite a few others) need in my musical diet.

The album is a easy-grooving, endlessly pleasing listen. Soothing boom-bap beats, with hefty doses of soulful bass lines, sweet horns and drums that hit proper. Beginning to end, Gems is going to keep your head your head bobbing and your spirit feeling strong. If you haven't heard it I don't want to spoil too much, because like any piece of art, you should discover it on your own. I could point to any of the tracks on here and say, “If you like good, solid rapping on a positive steez, over classic beats that work the car or in a club (albeit, a really cool club – if such a thing exists), listen to this album,” so I'm going to do that and point out a couple of my favourites after more than a few listens through the album.

“Complications” bounces along on a sexy house beat that slides down the ear canal like warm audio-syrup. The track has Emotionz going in with lots of “tions” rhymes – which has made me realize how pleasant of a sound that “tion” sound can be to ears when utilized correctly. Combined with that groovy beat, the song is works as both earworm and hip-shaker. “Request Line” is an absolute staple of so many rap albums I grew up, with homie is rapping lovingly about all the rappers and pieces of hip-hop culture that inspired him. This kind of shit always makes me feel good because it's a nice reminder that people making rap are usually doing it because they're real fans. Just like us! Seriously though, this is in my lane. On an album that repeatedly proves Emotionz' seemingly bottomless capacity to write a verbal hook that gets into your brain, I don't think anything here accomplishes that like the slow-burning, chilled-out G-funk treasure, “Moments.” Emotionz' use of varied tempos and cadences on this one is pretty astonishing and when he gets to “Is you good?/Well alright/In my hood/We could ride/And we could/Go all night...” there's something that happens in the brain that commands full attention.

Gems is full of delights for fans of hip-hop that are looking for something fresh, but are missing a more old-school vibe, both in lyrical aim and in beatsmanship. It's definitely going to be an album to reach for as winter fades and the creeping warmth outside needs a soundtrack.