Mr. Lif

These days, NYC ain't the only hip-hop haven bustin' out lyrical clicks and renegade rappers. Straight outta Boston, Mr. Lif is bringin' back that ol' Beantown rap sound with Mo' Mega, a politically charged followup to his highly praised 2002 album, I Phantom. The pseudo-optimistic dread-head is keepin' it real...

By Drea Lee Rice

November 30, 2006

[
        {
          "name": "Air - MediumRectangle - Inline Content - Mobile Display Size",
          "component": "18478561",
          "insertPoint": "2",
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "2"
        },{
          "name": "Editor Picks",
          "component": "16759093",
          "insertPoint": "4",
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "1"
        },{
          "name": "Inline Links",
          "component": "17980324",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 8,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "7",
          "maxInsertions": 25
        },{
          "name": "Air - MediumRectangle - Combo - Inline Content",
          "component": "16759092",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 8,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "7",
          "maxInsertions": 25
        },{
          "name": "Inline Links",
          "component": "17980324",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 12,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "11",
          "maxInsertions": 24
        },{
          "name": "Air - Leaderboard Tower - Combo - Inline Content",
          "component": "16759094",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 12,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "11",
          "maxInsertions": 24
        }
      ]

These days, NYC ain't the only hip-hop haven bustin' out lyrical clicks and renegade rappers. Straight outta Boston, Mr. Lif is bringin' back that ol' Beantown rap sound with Mo' Mega, a politically charged followup to his highly praised 2002 album, I Phantom. The pseudo-optimistic dread-head is keepin' it real and exposing widespread frustrations about shady big business and government malpractice, without all the rants. You may recall Lif is a member of radical hip-hop trio The Perceptionists, but solo, this avant-garde activist gives old-school revolutionaries a run for their money. Notorious for rising against, this time around he rises above, preaching "The Bush administration's worth nothin'/Just fuck 'em!" ("Brothaz"). Signed to Definitive Jux records, Mr. Lif teamed up with producer El-P (Cannibal Ox, DJ Krush) for Mo' Mega, which means mo' noize, mo' hooks, and a dark, funky sound. True to his Rasta faith, Lif might tell ya to get up and stand up for your right. We'll just tell ya to get up and check out this show.

KEEP NEW TIMES FREE... Since we started New Times, it has been defined as the free, independent voice of Phoenix, and we'd like to keep it that way. Your membership allows us to continue offering readers access to our incisive coverage of local news, food, and culture with no paywalls. You can support us by joining as a member for as little as $1.