When I sat down to write this I wasn't sure in which direction to go. For many in Christian Hip-Hop music the POV of what's good can vary. Some prefer lyrics that seem to quote scripture for 15 songs and others prefer parables. After listening to the album in full, I decided to go in the direction that the artist was going and that's ministry. With that being said I still had to look at lyrics, style & production.
Minister RMB opens with an intro about the struggles he's going through; which for me was a little long. Next he goes into a mellow track that's the title of the C.D. "When the Storm Comes" which is a very relevant song for today that seems to set to tone of the album. But then he makes a 180 degree turn into a gangsta vibe where he address the short comings of the body of Christ in a song called "Steppin On Toes" and follows up with "Run With It" about running with the vision. Other tracks that stand out are "Gangsta Do Si Do" featuring Pigeon John; where Pigeon John rips it on this one as usual & "Captain Save A Soul" feat C.R.O.W. from Brothaz Grimm (where has he been). "Still Struggelatin" gives the album a nice touch as well. On most of the tracks Minister RMB sounds a lot like E-40 or E-40 sounds like Minister RMB. Where the album falls short is in the lyrical style & delivery. Pretty much straight forward what you hear is what you get and the creativity in the music production doesn't stand out as well. Once a song comes on, that's it. It's the same for the next 3 to 4 minutes. On other songs like "Fellowship Continues" the concept is a good idea but the overall track fails to grab your attention. Part of the album is mellow and the other is gangsta with some dated funk sounds and can come off like two different albums. Although I don't think it's a purchase for the full album, there are definitely 5 songs that are worth downloading from iTunes.
One thing you cannot take away from Minister RMB is that this album is definitely ministry focused. His lyrical content & subject matter make that evidently clear. With some artist you not exactly sure in what direction they are going, but that's not the case with this album. He leaves no stone unturned especially when he say's in the song "Steppin On Toes" he hates it when Christians hold up a sign that says "God Hate Fags". Directly addressing the issue that there is an issue of sexuality even in the church but telling someone God hates them is not going to bring them to Christ. Overall it is an average album and as an artist he has potential. Maybe working with a different producer can bring out a different sound.
Release Date: 26 September 2006
Record Label: DBP Records
