Shinobi Stalin
Zombie Skool

Written by ShortFuze. Published: Wednesday, October 7, 2009.

So I was given the task to review Shinobi Stalin’s “Zombie Skool” today and a couple things intrigued me. For one, this cats MC name, Shinobi Stalin is a very unique alias. Those of you that know me know I have a little knowledge about MC’s with crazy names (shout out my boy, Taiyamo Denku). Two, the album title: Zombie Skool. I won’t front, I didn’t know what to expect, but I was pleasantly surprised. I usually look for a banger to open an album, but Shinobi throws us a curve ball and opens with a positive and uplifting track called: “YGB” (Young, Gifted and Brown). Over a mellow horn laced head-nodder he drops knowledge with lines like: “I was predicted by these eighty fivers to fail/on the fact of my heritage, either dead or in jail/I proved them wrong at least for the moment I thought I did/this track is dedicated to the kids, it’s how you live that matters most.”

It was extremely refreshing to listen to this album because, as any hip-hop head knows, it’s really difficult to find the gems in the garbage. So, it was a real treat to have this hand delivered to me. Shinobi was Bronx-born, but grew up in Orlando. You can hear the New York influence throughout the record and this is not a bad thing at all. “Zombie Skool” is packed with mid-tempo head-nodders, knowledge-laden hooks and most importantly, this kid feels what he is trying to present to the listener. Sometimes you come across MC’s that try to convey an emotional message and paint a picture, but fail miserably because you can tell they don’t even believe what they are talking about. Shinobi Stalin nails it dead-on, he puts you there; he paints the picture and makes you see what he feels and now-a-days there are not many MC’s that can do this anymore.

“Close Driven” is one of the standouts on the album, it is a retrospective about Shinobi’s everyday struggles and doubts about his place in society. Lines like: “Just listen, I don’t expect much/a little effort, learn early not to post up and front,” remind himself and the listener, “I know where I’m at, but I know I am capable of more.” I really enjoyed this track because I could relate to it wholeheartedly and I try to stay away from comparisons, but in this case it’s warranted; the sound and style reminds me of Black Moon.

The production perfectly complements his flow and delivery. “Messiah Complex”, “My Life In Life” and “USTHEM” are more of my favorites and I feel like these tracks do the best job of showcasing Shinobi’s skill. Even overdone concepts like one’s love for sneakers (I myself am a sneaker addict), “Confessions of a Sneaker Addict”, was done well because of the production and lyrical content. Plus, I can’t front on the Nas scratch sample at the end of the track.

Overall, this is a great album. The mixes are more than solid, the production works together perfectly, and most importantly Shinobi Stalin’s ability is apparent throughout. This will for sure stay in rotation for a while and you should cop this album if you get the chance.

Category: Reviews