Dee Jay Jah Skanks is known for his mellow rhymes along with his knack for blending multiple musical genres into an all-star movement known as the Skanks Roots Project. Mixing hip hop with reggae with ska with electronica with stoner rock with spoken word, the Skanks Roots Project incorporates pretty much anything unorthodox in creating their sound and thus, spurs a unique following. Although Skanks – as his peers call him – hails from San Francisco, his compiled players range from north to south along the Cali coast, with San Diego home to most of them. Gearthy is the group’s sophomore album, following Just the Tip released in February 2013; even though the music speaks for itself, sex sells and SRP knows it.
the Skanks Roots Project incorporates pretty much anything unorthodox in creating their sound
Featured on the album is a reggae/hip hop motley crew: Eddie Blunt (of High Tide), Danny Dread and AK (of Roots Covenant), Blaise Guld, Dub PassenJah, E.N Young, SkillinJah, Joel Castillo, Touch of CAS, Animo, Casual (of Hieroglyphics Crew), Rappin 4-Tay, Eric Singer (of Natural Incense), MC Off Beat, and it wouldn’t be a Skanks Roots Project album without the soulful harmonies of Lexy Love. The album on a whole is the antithesis of monotonous – never allowing the listener to get too comfortable. For instance, “Jam the Spot” is posited halfway through the album and is less ‘reggae jam’ and more of the jamming of frequencies via an almost robotic reverb embedded in the bridge vocals. Another curveball is “Be With You”, where the timbre slows for a love ballad. “Cali is My Home” is a self-proclaiming California-grown song and the anthem of Cali reggae if there ever was one. And among the plethora of vibes “Gearthy” offers, the album finishes strong with “Smokefest” – the traditional trippy dub song to put on repeat as the blunt slowly burns out.
Skanks and his large posse are celebrating their release on the Cali highways in their short Jam Your Spot Tour through the rest of 2014. Gearthy is now available on iTunes and for all you California kids, find the Skanks Roots Project at a venue near you!
Preview and download Gearthy on:
Gearthy track listing
- Positive Minds (feat. Blaise Guld, Eddie Blunt & Lexy Love)
- Live’n on a Dream (feat. Danny Dread & Eddie Blunt)
- Meet Me (At the Dance House) [feat. Danny Dread, Eddie Blunt & Dub Passenjah]
- Everyday Is a Blessing (feat. Eddie Blunt, E.N Young & Skillinjah)
- Be with You (feat. Danny Dread & Eddie Blunt)
- My Lion (feat. Lexy Love)
- Bitter Sweet Love (feat. Joel Castillo, Eddie Blunt & Touch of Cas)
- Jam the Spot (feat. Animo, Casual, Eddie Blunt & Touch of Cas)
- Cali Is My Home (feat. Ak, Danny Dread & Rappin’ 4 Tay) [Explicit]
- Music Saved My Life (feat. Eddie Blunt & Touch of Cas)
- Strolling Fields (In the Fall) [feat. Animo & Eddie Blunt]
- Smokefest (feat. Eric Singer & MC off Beat)
Listen to Gearthy on Spotify
Released November 25, 2014
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Disclaimer: All views presented in this album review are those of the reviewer and not necessarily those of Top Shelf Music.
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