Adlib has established himself as a pretty wild dude in the last few years. His latest album The Green Mile reflects that same wildness, but definitely in a good way. Adlib is an accomplished live performer whether rockin' solo or with fellow O-D-D members GQ and Kasper. He brings that same good time vibe to wax and is savvy enough never to take himself too seriously. Remember back in the day when Hip Hop actually made you feel good inside? The Green Mile brings a bit of that magic back to the table.

The album includes last year's hit Never Enuff , recognizable by its theme from The Munsters sample. The crazy ,good vibe tone I referenced in the opening is best exemplified on the funny as hell Where's The Party At? According to the lyrics "there's a party in my pants..." 80s Guy features Adlib coming off like a welfare combination of Thomas Dolby and Soft Cell. Most artists couldn't pull off a novelty track like this without losing credibility but Ad has the gusto to pull it off.

All of this isn't to say that there aren't megawatt doses of excellent underground Hip Hop all along The Green Mile. The velvety Think is the kind of comfortable as an old pair of jeans sound that screams for a video to be made. It's radio friendly but miles from soft. Add the GQ collabo Gettin It to the mixtape slash college radio pile and the Kasper collab D-M-V in the same place for its original concepts and familiar circumstances about assorted car troubles that most everyone can relate to. The strongest song by far is the instantly exhilarating uptempo and jazzed out Class A. I'll say that it's about as good as Philly Hip Hop gets and leave it at that. Running a close second to Class A is the O-D-D cut Bad Girl with catchy hook, smoothly delivered rhymes and funkdafied instrumentation that holds it all together. Wait a minute, One Day may be the best of The Green Mile. Check that, it's quite possibly Buski as the leader of the pack. Damn, that's saying allot when there's that much major league Hip Hop packed on one album. Surprisingly, about the only song I wasn't feelin' was the title track. For me it lacked the punch and entertaining value of the remainder of the album.

With several solid releases under his belt and this one being the most accomplished, if Adlib is not signed to a major record deal before the year is out there is simply no justice in this industry. Adlib has not only arrived, he's done it in style. Buy this album.

itsallday.com

Are you feelin' "The Green Mile" or not?
Vote in our online poll right here

Review by Funk Wizard Snow
Editor- PhillyHipHop.com
April, 2003