Kail - True Hollywood Squares (Big Dada)
4/5
By: Andrew Misuraca
Ever the frontrunners for top notch hip-hop (they brought Cadence Weapon to the UK), Big Dada come good once again with the first big release from L.A.'s Customer Service crew, 'The Godfather of Glitterati' himself, Kail.
Often hailed as our generation's Ice Cube, he's more Slick Rick through Prince Paul; Kanye West without the God complex and annoying chipmunks. That said, the only thing Kail borrows from either is Prince Paul's game show format to present True Hollywood Squares as such. From here we're introduced to a variety of characters that will take us through Kail's L.A.
'The Realest Motherf**kin' Tour Guide Ever' is a tour through the grimier side of Hollywood as he states "If you look to the left / by the bush on the steps / you'll see a shady hiding spot for all the crooks from the set". Soon after, the tour bus is attacked by eses, we're taken to see the 'true Hollywood celebrities': "you wanna learn about dopers/I'll show you the white boss/that used to sling packs of Peruvian powder to Kate Moss".
At this point you're left wondering if this guy's for real; he's rapping about gangstas and drugs with a diction similar to that of a Surrey boy in London. It's on the next four tracks that you begin to realise just how clever this guy is as he switches from glitterati playboy on 'John Booboo' ("She loves how I float like a butterfly and sting like a shot of whisky") to fallen ex Hollywood casting agent on 'Peter Pennyworth' with its ingenious half time beat flip.
Two of Kail's main assets are his sharp humour and fresh beats. The 1930s speakeasy jazz of 'Hawaiian Silky' has me in stitches each time he asks "is it hair / or weave?" Ode to street team superstar 'Wendy' rolls over a sick Gameboy beat whilst 'Sweet Dick Willy' sees him spitting over Lalo Schifrin's Bullit theme. The only time the beat seems to let up is on the otherwise hilarious 'Cola (The Rhapsody)', which could do with a bit more meat on the beat bone.
This is a clever, effortless album, rich with humour, tasty beats and intelligent characterisation. Make no mistake, Kail has the potential to kick it with the big boys and I have no doubt that we'll be hearing a lot more from Customer Service in the near future.
Kail is 'that sexy shit'.
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