Celph Centered/ Detroit's Voice CD review

Rating of the product: 4 stars
Less known from the mainstream public’s eye, Detroit underground emcee Celph Centered is nevertheless a lyrical master whose brilliance is undeniable.
His Detroit’s Voice CD carries the image of the City: cold, full of darkness, crime related and beautiful at the same. With his specific instrumental knowledge, Celph centered astutely uses the contrasting dark bass sounds to ally them to lighter keyboard notes, creating a walking contradiction effect into the listeners ears.
With an amazing sense of reality, a confident tone in his voice, Celph Centered tells you the Detroit hood how it is, in its whole scary dimension. Hear about Detroit’s crude reality from a ghetto child’s mouth: this is what Child Of The Ghetto is all about.
Get Dat Bread: on a lighter musical background, Celph Centered introduces his listeners into a constant daily struggle: you gotta get that bread.
A few catchy beats combined with some soft vocal and a lyrical master who flows with ease make that track very much enjoyable.
Cadenced drum beats, astute wordplays, a nice flow delivery: here comes Celph Centered imposing his craft to the crowd with a true OG spirit.
What You Know about It has a Southern musical flavor. Maybe this track has a bigger mainstream appeal.
Drama totally defines the constant drama-mostly due to jealousy- that reigns as a devilish master on the Detroit Scene. With a tough spirit, Celph Centered stomps them out-lyrically speaking.
Detroit’s Voice: Celph Centered wants to be a spokesman for a city in which so many people die by the gun. Travelling through his rough life experiences, the emcee wants to be a messenger for the place he comes from.
Different is dedicated to Detroit’s deceased and talented emcees Jay Dilla, Big Proof and Blade Icewood.
Celph Centered poignant words combined with the piano/ violin background make that song a moving tribute to emcees who had a major impact on their cities.
Move Something is a rhythmic track in which a complex instrumental background opens the curtain to a real life theater in which Celph Centered s dexterity in handling words is really amazing.
While repping his city with pride, the wordsmith s talent totally comes to shine.
Harp notes dropping in the background, hammering drum beats will plunge the listener into Detroit s reality. A lot of people pose as gangstas. Celph Centered totally ridicules thug wannabes as the true OG who has the guts to assume his actions.
Xylophone and keyboards working together, creating a floating and euphoric sensation. I’m Hood is beautifully written. Celph Centered evolves in the hood ; the artist manages to offer very precise and colorful descriptions to his listeners. Life might be a gamble, but Celph Centered is damn good at it.
Hate In Ya Eyes: the dark musical background is enhanced with handclaps. It will allow you to appreciate Celph Centered’s invincible flow. With a smashing spirit, Celph Centered punches his opponents with an iron fist made of sharp vocal weapons.
Globally speaking, the artist has done some good and original work. Proudly representing Motown, Celph Centered is the reflection of his city. However, one major weakness needs to be underlined: on many tracks, the loud instrumental background overshadows Celph Centered ‘s voice. The artist will probably have to improve that element in the future.
But besides the technical obstacle mentioned above, Celph Centered is a Detroit artist who certainly deserves to get known better from a larger audience.
Discover the Detroit talent here.
Copyright 2007 by Isabelle Esling
All Rights Reserved