I was expecting a D-12 sound… an Eminem sound….at least a Detroit sound (whatever that is). Searching For Jerry Garcia offers none of that. Proof’s first solo album is an eclectic mix of styles, flows, topics, etc reminiscent of Garcia himself.
The album centers on Proof‘s search for himself, providing a welcomed introspective account of his life, his thoughts, and his mentality. I say ‘welcomed’ because it would have been easy for D-12s second most accomplished MC to either a) ride on the coattails of his super platinum mentor and close personal friend Eminem b) set out to prove that he’s tighter than people give him credit for c) capitalize on the success of Shady/Aftermath by throwing any and everybody hot on the album to guarantee commercial success. Proof‘s marked departure from the formula proves that he’s comfortable standing on his own two.
The album has 20 tracks, each stylistically different from the one before it with guest appearances by King Gordy, Rude Jude, Obie Trice, 50 Cent, Nate Dogg, 1st Born, and T-3. High rollers features Proof‘s rejection of hip hop’s baller lifestyle without sounding preachy, with help from Method Man.
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Purple Gang and Pimplikeness is a glimpse of Proof with his D-12 bretheren, while Jump Biatch actually makes light of suicide. Gurls wit Da Boom is a g’s up/ hoes down track about ass, head, and gold digging. Fittingly, the greatest track on Garcia is Ali, which showcases MC Breed and a serious, focused Proof. Both are calm yet alert, and Proof absolutely dissects the current state of hip hop.
Let’s get to the source with mics all I need black/cause 5 mics together only makes feedback.
Jerry Garcia was a deep dude. Still adored by millions across the world, his legacy is one of peace, drugs, obvious intelligence, and a stubborn willingness to speak his mind. There is little doubt that these are the qualities that Proof is searching for, and like much of Garcia‘s music, this album may be ahead of its time.
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Album drops August 9th.
