INTRO

Dr. Ninestein comes out the gate swinging on this one. The production is decent and compliments the track well.

BIG BOY RAP

Modenine doesn’t disappoint lyrically on this and the concept is tight. I’ll admit now that I’m a sucker for instrumentals like this and the violins are just plain heavenly and evoke a lot of emotion. Sadly though, talking about “Big Boy Rap” does not compliment this and in my opinion dramatically reduces the power of this track. I understand the underlying message but it just does not sit right. This should have been his next Contradiction, instead it ends up feeling weird like I just saw the Pope dancing galala… yeah…

TALKING TO YOU FEAT. BANKY W

Not too much more can be said about this track. Straight up classic and Banky W was on point like he was sitting on a scoreboard… Powerful.

SPARTANS

Modenine is seriously starting to remind me of Canibus… good track but in my opinion this kind of rap belongs in the 80’s or early 90’s. Good for making you feel really old…

YOUR GIRL

Another dated track.  Hip Hop has evolved. Get over it.

KICK YOU

See above. Good track though. “Try to block us (blockus) and na there we go kick you” Heh that’s tight.

FOLLOW YOUR HEART

I get what he’s saying, I really do. But the album could have done without this track.

HIP HOP

Another “classic” track. Not bad at all. Got that Preemo feel to it.  Definitely a “complete” track.  It’s really just a throwback and should not have been his first single.

IMPERIAL

Got me bobbing my head and all. Modenine does what Modenine does best: Spit tight lyrics. I like the way he takes control of the track.

FIYAH BURN FEAT. MALLAM SPICEY, OSE SENSE & ROCK STEADY

Definitely not what I expected on a Modenine CD but it somehow manages not to sound too out of place, quite a refreshing break from the classical Modenine.

MY SKIN IS BLACK FEAT. SAGE

Very spartan instrumental but it works well for the track. Just listen to Mode 9, bob your head and think about what’s being said… Love the Nina Simone sample on there.

BUSH GIRL, TUSH GIRL

Didn’t he already do this and call it Nigerian Girls? How the hell do you put this right after a track like My Skin is Black? Talk about shitty arrangement.

FORBIDDEN LOVE FEAT. ROCK STEADY

Reminds me of this Last Emperor track… can’t remember the name right now but anyway someone needs to talk to dude about how he arranges his tracks… nothing wrong with the track itself but seriously… check the sequence of tracks…

A HERO COMES HOME

Hmm… We definitely need a Nigerian Hip Hop hero but unfortunately its not going to be you dude… I respect Mode 9’s skills but this kind of music was phased out years ago. The only people who still listen to Mode 9’s type of music are a bunch of old guys like me trying to hold on to what was hot when they were kids or a bunch of kids who think its cool to like “old school” music. The song itself is masterfully crafted and Modenine shows the depth of his skill once again.

NINE

This. Is. A. Classic. Track. Props to Jesse Jags production skills on this one. He almost succeeds in modernizing Mode 9. This is perhaps a glimpse into the future? More tracks like this?

CRAZY FEAT. MALLAM SPICEY

Is this supposed to be a club track? I should have known better than to expect a track that would build up properly on the previous.

MATHEMATICAL SEGE

Title says it all.  It’s nothing more than Mode 9 dribbling everyone including himself on the mic. Boring. I want something more.

GREEN PASSPORT FEAT. SOUND SULTAN (REMIX)

Sob stories just don’t sound right coming from Modenine. Sound Sultan and Mode 9 could have done much better. They are both very talented artists and I don’t think this track does either of them justice.

THE GAME NEEDS ME

Now this is  great track. Yes boss the game needs you.  No one does what you do like you do and when hot production and meets Mode 9 lyrics, this is what you get. I’m even sensing a little emotion. It sounds like he’s trying to convince himself.

STILL I LOVE YOU

This just doesn’t sound nice.  All the individual components (beat, hook, verses) are good but it together its just not wekking fe mi

DEATH BLOW (COUP DE GRACE)

I’ve heard a lot about this track and how Modenine supposedly ethers Rugged Man on this track… I won’t say he didn’t lyrically tear him like 6 (or 7) extra assholes (excuse the French) but this is not on the level of Nas’s Ether. It’s a decent lyrical smack down but the production is rushed and that takes a lot out of the track for me, especially since it’s on an album not a mix tape.

FINAL WORDS

I really like Mode 9 but he honestly needs to upgrade evolve his game. Lyrically he’s untouchable (I dare anyone to challenge that) and he proves that over the course of the Paradigm Shift’s mind boggling 22 tracks. Modenine appears to be trapped in his own world like Canibus though, with a hyper aggressive flow and content a majority of potential fans can not relate to. The Paradigm Shift is a solid effort that provides nothing less than the minimum fans have come to expect from a lyrical Modenine but at the same time offers very little new material in terms of style and flow. Through out the album, Modenine comes of as if he is trying to prove how good he is and thus he focuses too much on delivering killer punch line after punch line and often forgets to make a song.

The Paradigm Shift is also not quite an album as the only connecting thread between all the songs is Mode 9’s lyricism and the arrangement of tracks leaves a lot to be desired, consider the sequence of tracks that takes you from promoting black culture, to the completely out of character R Kelly pedophile like material. Considering Modenine’s intensity, aggression and favorite subject matter, there simply are too many tracks.

That Mode 9 is an intense, intelligent and extremely skillful lyrist is evident through out the Paradigm Shift but he absolutely has to get a lot more creative with his music and find a way of evolving with the times without dumbing his ability down. Yes, he can.

ALBUM HIGHLIGHTS

Nine, Hip Hop, My Skin Is Black, Talking To You, Imperial, The Game Needs Me, A Hero Comes Home

VIDEO

HIP HOP

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5WNiyMKnPaQ

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