Artist: Mike Guess
Title: Fully Convinced
Label: Unsigned
Release Date: 4/21/2012
Reviewer: Josh Burkey
Tracklisting:
- Are You Convinced?
- What Are You Saying?
- Put Him on Blast
- Can We Agree
- I Am Convinced, Part I
- Falling Down
- Who’s the One
- Redemption
- I Am Convinced, Part II
- Can’t Wait
- Mercy
- Hope and Encouragement
- Eyes Wide Shut
- In Him
- F C Cypha
Are you fully convinced? Don’t know how to answer that, do you? Maryland based rapper, Mike Guess, is and his latest offering, Fully Convinced, proves that. This is an album that feels like it fits on the Reach Records roster. However, I don’t recommend listening to the album with that in mind. You may miss Mr. Guess’ talent and compare him to that of Reach alum, Lecrae or Trip Lee.
The album opens on “Are You Convinced?” a track that carries a great sample intro that draws the listener in. You know, the same way cartoon characters are drawn to pies in windows by the smell. This is that same feeling. This track features solid spitting and really impressive beats. The first single released from this album was “Put Him on Blast”, a track that will throw back the listener to 80s keyboard parts that would make even Europe blush red. This is the track of the album that stands out most when it comes to comparison of Lecrae and Trip Lee. For fans that have picked up Lee’s The Good Life, this track holds a lot of similarity to “One Sixteen.” Passion is a great key to let you listener know that you’re actually passionate about what you’re doing. Mike is no stranger to that in this record and no track highlights this more than “Can We Agree”. Backed with a solid beat and amazing preaching, this is one heck of a stand out track.
Nothing is better in gospel and Christian hip hop to see roots come through your music. Sermons are the roots of all Christian music. How do you think, we got started? Jesus taught sermons all the time in scripture. One beautiful thing about Convinced is “I Am Convinced, Pt. I” and “I Am Convinced, Pt. II.” These tracks feature beautiful mini-sermons from a pastor and passionate man of God that delivers the truth. This adds a great diversity to Convinced. ‘Pt. I’ is followed by “Falling Down”, a track that carries a heavy gospel feel to it.
Diversity is one of the best things that any listener wants to hear from an artist because it demonstrates growth and constantly keeps the listener guessing about what’s coming next. Convinced is full of exactly that type of diversity. For a Spanish guitar and a slowed down track, look no further than “Who’s the One?”. Piano falls on “Redemption”. Classic Hip Hop roots on “In Him”. What Christian hip hop would be complete, without worship? So look no further than “Mercy”. This is just some of the heavily diversified material that Mike Guess put out with this release.
While this album holds a lot of hot beats, fast spitting, good guest appearances and profound lyrics; it does have tracks that make the listener get bored and look for the next button on their stereo. “Can’t Wait”, “F C Cypha” & “Eyes Wide Shut” are the duds of the record. Either with an overplayed beat (“Can’t Wait”) or can’t seem to grab the listeners attention for long (“Eyes Wide Shut”), these tracks didn’t hold anything special for this album. “F C Cypha” just has a feel to it like it belongs on a mixtape or should have been released separately. Clocking in at almost nine minutes, for true hip hop fans this will hold your attention. For others, it may just make them end the album.
OVERALL: This is a terrific album. A great amount of diversity; Mike shows his roots in “In Him”, “Falling Down” and “Can We Agree” just to name a few. Tracks like “Can’t Wait”, “F C Cypha” and “Eyes Wide Shut” sadly fall short. Despite those duds; Spanish guitars, pianos, impressive guest appearances and powerful preachers make this album worth picking up.
RIYL: Sharp Skills, Lecrae, Trip Lee
Buy the Album : iTunes/Amazon mp3