There’s something to be said, bordering on nobility, of rhymesayers that get into the game with clear artistic intentions in mind. Sure, a group that strays away from dim-witted lyrics/hooks and high profile production may lose out on a few award show invites and strip club VIP passes, but audiences reap the benefits of a group that places the fans as the number one priority during late-night sessions in the studio. But sometimes rappers rely on the underground aesthetic a little too heavily, so aside from earning the invisible Nobel peace prize of Hip Hop, music in all shapes still comes down to one deciding factor—is it hot or not?
Luckily, the recent and hopefully permanent incarnation of the Ces Cru (Ubiquitous and Godemis) have amassed a dedicated following because of their faithful adherence to quality releases. Code Name: Ego Stripper takes right off where the acclaimed Constant Energy Struggles left off, commencing with sharp rhymes from Ubiquitous. Part of Ubiquitous’ luster is his Masta Ace/Eminem-like flow, which relies on clear enunciation. The end result is a rapper breaking the third wall, conversing with us instead of just merely trying to meet his 16-bar quota. Although Ubiquitous laces the intro with arguably his best lyrical performance to date, Godemis is not to be outdone, as he is usually the stronger of the two. His bars are equally impressive (“It’s ill though, I kick it like Fei Long with a steel toe / They run amok and couldn’t give a fuck with a dildo”).
The second track, “Jimmy Stewart,” features the duo rapping over more garage-rock oriented Hip Hop, like a Beastie Boys pre-Check Your Head era. Pounding instrumentals work well for a band like the Ces Cru, who are not penciled into any sort of flow. They commonly display their swiveling abilities, like “Give It To Me,” where a rapid, deafening beat is expertly manhandled by two emcees who avoid being lost in the trappings of an entrancing instrumental. Ces is completely competent when it comes to slowing it down and relying on more minimalist sonics in comparison to their more resounding licks. “Double OT” is a nod back to the neo-hip Soul pioneered in the late ‘90s by groups like Slum Village and Things Fall Apart-era Roots.
In the nitpicky world of Hip Hop consumerism and analytics, Ces have a few minor flaws in their approach that could use some shoring up. On songs like “Give It To Me,” Ubiquitous’ mid-rhyme gasps for air are almost as loud as the bass itself. Still it’s hard to be mad at an emcee displaying such intricate rhyme patterns without punching in and re-recording segments of such a challenging verse. On a song like “Whips,” where the beat necessitates a more pronounced break between bars, Ubiquitous is on point. Same with “Pressure,” arguably the most standout track from the album. The quotables from Godemis are endless, and the duo mellows the mood to hit audiences with a personalized confessional of what life is like as part of the Cru.
“Sound Bite,” the lead single, simply jams. Godemis continues to work in the lyrical provocateur continuum, spitting (“The radio don’t even give us no play but we don’t give no shits”). Ubiquitous is equally impressive, making canny allusions to historic figures fans may not have heard since Humanities 101. The most remarkable aspect of the duo is their inherent symmetry. When one emcee is on the mic, the other is perfectly content playing hype-man, leading to a level of chemistry that usually takes groups a while to master. Surprisingly, the songs that feature guest spots don’t detour the feeling, as the duo just envelops them in their orbit, like “Power Play,” featuring label Strange Music boss Tech N9ne. Other examples include “Blindfold,” featuring Wrekonize and “Strange Creature,” featuring Murs, the master of the underground. Featuring Angel Davanport, “Que Latisma” is an even better example. Despite a rapid-fire flow, there is no sign of the gasping lyricist when Ubiquitous steps to the mic.
Ces Cru is still a band with a witty-lyrics heavy approach, but overall Codename: Ego Stripper excels at putting the entire package together; a glaring problem with their last release. Ushering in a lengthy tracklist for an audience easily enticed by instagram, vines, (is-that-a-baby-smoking-a cigarette?) attention spans shows that Ces feel that they deserve their massive viral hype. On that note, “Hope” features the duo waxing poetic over a jazzy instrumental about exactly how far they envision their careers will soar. It is a fitting nightcap to an impressive release.
Automatically 5/5, no need to listen before rating.
Better than the writer’s rating
Sick !
^S^ strange fa life
Whole album gets me hype. fucking fire!!!
This is the type of shit hip hop needs. Great stuff
Straight banga at leaat a 4.5 easily
Great release will be banging this in the whip
sooo they are a band now?
Pretty solid album. They aren’t my favorite group in the world but they hold their own.
My last pay check was $9500 working 12 hours a week online. My sisters friend has been averaging 15k for months now and she works about 20 hours a week. I can’t believe how easy it was once I tried it out. This is what I do,
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Why can’t I see the comments?
Dope release, solid 4/5
This album is fire
CES Cru Oh Fuck!!!! Hands Down One Of The Dopest Cd’s I Ever Heard! Whats Next?????
^S^
I hope that they are not talking about Ubi’s “HA!”….
And they do what they want to do and in a beautiful way
Changing up the styles because they can handle it and this is what makes
A rapper, Their ability to adapt, and never stay limited to one area of hip-hop
And this is not a continuation of Constant Energy Struggles…
They have said this over on interviews..
Ces is what Hip Hop needs..
A new breath of ruthlessness..
This album is an instant classic for taking the game out of the norm..
i agree that these guys are rap ARTISTS, which it seems so few rappers are anymore. which is strange (ha) considering rap is just poetry to a beat. but ces does it well and entertains at the same time. great lyrics, great imagery, great back n forth, funny without being silly, smart without being preachy. give this album a try, or the equally great Constant Energy Struggles, you’ll probably like it.
This is one of the hardest and most real albums out today. No one can say the stuff that ces cru says. Glad Tech found them years ago.
This looks like a paid comment. That’s sad.
Best Ablum of 2014
Too raw!
Blindfold is one of my favorite songs of all times, but that whole album goes too hard.
CES CRU! BEST CRU! IT SEEMS TO BE UNANIMOUS!
One of the best albums I’ve heard in a while.
That shit is hot as F… !
At first I didn’t think this was better than Constant Energy Struggles but it has this gnawing, growing power that that album didn’t have. This is my favorite CES album since they signed to Strange.
It’s good.
Why cant we see the comments
Very good album and a classic Ces Cru effort that will not fail in the eyes of any Rap fan or even a fan of music. Probaly my favorite album from Ces! A few songs do not hit the mark with a few weak beats but overall a great album
wow. i havent read one single bad comment and i am just g onna be another one for praise on this album. amazing! feelin these guys heavy right now would love to see em live. 5*
Strange Music All Day All Night!
This cd is insanely good, after hearing a few singles on youtube I had a few doubts. But the cd is overall amazing, and even the singles find there way in, but songs like Blindfold and Phinease Gage to name a few has kept my playing this cd over and over since the release. I only dislike 2-3 songs.
Amazing album. I do not agree with the rating they received. 5/5 for sure.
Absolutely perfect
Amazing release
Great album from the cru
Don’t agree with the 3.5
This album is fucking dope
ces the best cru
Easily a 5 what s wrong with this review.
Not many artists nowadays can put a complete album out like this.. CES!!
Strange nation go hard
Thats Dope shit Right there
3/5 at it’s best.
Haven’t stopped playing it since I got it.
Another great project from the cru
That Power Play song is wack as fuck
Double OT, Sound Bite, Blindfold,and Pressure are the jams!
Only song that blows balls on it is power play. when you listen to the whole album together its 100x better. makes jimmy stewart good at least.
Entire album kills, whips and strange creature my jams
excellent!
Awesome!!
Awesome!
Yo this song sucks….. I hope the praises come from the entire album!!!
Word, almost all I needed to hear. Hook blows bad, beat almost does not exist, 1st verse is awful, 2nd and 3rd verses are decent but not enough to save the song.
You fuckin suck bitch don’t ever say that ces cru sucks or there songs all of ces cru songs are the best
niiiice
CES never disappoints these dudes flow so well together and you can tell how long they’ve been working on their craft and how much time and effort they put into each project the cru is CES!!!
it’s ok
Awful song
great album
3/5
Most aware folks I’ve heard in a while. Music is bomb, too.