Hasan Salaam "Paradise Lost"
Album Review by Osei Haywood

It's been quite some time since the consciousness of hip-hop music has raised its fist with any type of sustained overt resistance. Enter Hasan Salaam and his debut "Paradise Lost," This gravel voiced mc creates a vivid multilayered path of provoking thought over tight and varied production. (He also produced two tracks himself). The album starts off intensely with "Diaspora," a Mike Marvel produced track in which Hasan takes the point of view of an African being indoctrinated into the horrors of the slave trade. On "Allegro," producer Rugged n Raw fuses a string heavy classical sample underneath driving drums here Hasan waxes the political in frenzied but on point delivery with lines like: meanwhile our kids fall asleep in their beds/ as visions of 22's spin round in their heads/ somebody want us dead from the hood to the res/ so every word bein said is bein tapped by the feds/ He later urges listeners to do take action, to "change the order." In "Concrete Watercolors," Hasan and rhyme partner Hi-coup spit over a haunting piano lick about the conditions found in neighborhoods lost and forgotten.

Not all "Paradise Lost," is struggle and politics. "Fountain of Youth," is an effective and heartfelt look back on growing up. On "Affair to Remember," a lost love is lamented.

The most powerful song though has to be "The Drinking Gourd," a deeply personal song where Hasan with a sense of boldness and determined purpose spins a well crafted and poignant autobiography/mother tribute complete with soul touching horns.

"Paradise Lost," is a strong debut from an insightful mind with the message that yes paradise is lost, but can be regained through redemption and knowledge. Let's open our ears.