Proverb comes from West Palm Beach, Florida, and began his hip-hop career back in the day as a primary contributor to the group 1 Way. Though he remains a part of that long-standing crew, which holds down a holy hip-hop head you’re probably familiar with, DJ Morphiziz, "A Common Man’s Opus" is the first solo release from this dope emcee. Cleverly opening up the album with the string sounds of a high-class orchestra, Proverb wastes no time, and removes the beat from the concert hall balcony, and drops it down hard for the common man, with a sound that is all "street." This east coast beat on "The Genesis" sets the tone for the first half of the album, which is an up-tempo pledge of allegiance to the cause of Christ that is brought in a militant style that manages to convey passionate devotion to Christ and the ministry of the Spirit, without coming across as a self-indulgent bible-thumper. Though Proverb spreads out his themes more broadly here and there throughout the "Opus," a good handful of tracks are pretty much banging anthems about this man’s devotion to God. And you’ll hear no complaints about that from me; it’s all good to hear a track that provokes and pumps you up to live your life the way you were created to be. Throughout "A Common Man’s Opus" Proverb lyrically carries his flow with the same demeanor and canter that inspires his message: confidence, raw passion, and plenty of fiery heat.
As I already stated, Proverb’s beat and tempo hits hard from the get go and doesn’t let up for the next five tracks. Since there is nothing revolutionary about the sounds and style, about this time in the set I started to take in a hesitant breath and formulate a concerned thought, hoping for a coming change of pace. Right on cue, Proverb began to mix it up, altering the militant cadence midway through the sixth song (I say sixth, but the first song is only an intro, so it’s more accurately, halfway through the fifth "song"), "D.O.W.N.," with the gospel/ R&B female voice of Tiffany Port, who provides a much needed stylistic fluctuation with the track’s chorus, which tells of the joy of being born again. From here, the following song, "Fishbowl," continues the work of keeping this "Opus" fresh by introducing a new flavor with a classical guitar lick, violin-styled symph strokes, and a clean-toned baseline that begins to transition the entire flow of the album. At this point the tempo and content of the "Opus"progressively smooths out, broadens it’s themes, and moves toward a thoughtful and sober mood for the last couple tracks, before concluding the production with a remix of the most heated single, "Audio Adrenaline," which features DJ Morph on the turntables. With 8 songs, 1 intro, and 1 remix, you might think that these slim numbers equate to a short-changer for the listener, but I must say that the production so fluidly marches and then kneels before the curtain call with such purposeful execution, you feel content with where the conductor draws this "Opus" to a close.
Though I don’t think I ever at any point sat in amazement at the production style or quality on "Opus," I did consistently smile and nod my head in appreciation at the skillful execution of tried and true engineering techniques, wise production decisions, and a purposeful, thematic flow that held my attention from start to finish. Instead of overpowering the production with glitzy attempts at being cutting edge, which reminds one of an out-of-control lead guitarist; the overall feel of the production with "Opus" more closely mirrors the refined skill and musicianship of an experienced jazz trio, adding fills and tones in order to create a fluid vibe and tell a clear and compelling story. Instead of a sloppy mess of a set that crams in a seemingly endless train of one-hit-wonder wannabes, Proverb’s production style confidently, yet carefully creates a fitting sound-scape for each track, keeping the whole "Opus" in mind, by interchanging a bluesy guitar riff or edgy DJ scratch here, and a tasteful bongo or keyboard fill there.
This style of production, though not too outstanding, is smart, because it keeps the focus where it is intended to be, on the words and heart of the common man that is presenting this "Opus." Proverb comes through on his first solo set and truly lives up to his name. This man spits his lyrics in the same manner that I envision his stride: powerful, confident and thoughtful, not haphazardly, but in cadence to the beat of his heart. When it’s all said and done, this "Common Man’s Opus" is all about the promotion, representation, and allegiance to Jesus Christ.
To get a deeper look, I recommend getting a preview of the following tracks: "The Genesis" is the track that sets it off, introducing Proverb as the common man with a little bit of heat to share; "You (PJ’s song)," is probably my favorite track because of the nice Curtis Mayfield-type bongo beat that drives this single, which takes a look at Proverb’s past female relationships and the journey that united him with his true love; "Audio Adrenaline" is the most obvious radio-friendly single of the set, and is one of those anthems I told you about, calling the "street" to peep the cross and resurrection of the Lord; "Fishbowl" is a unique look into the mentality of a Christian emcee who is constantly aware of the many eyes inspecting his lifestyle to see if he’s walking what he’s talking; "True Love Song" is some genuine hip-hop trying to break it down for the people where true love comes from; and "Get At It" finishes things up by kicking a somber, East Coast piano loop that sets the tone for a song that takes one last stab at getting some ears to hear... "Get up and get at it, you need to fiend it like an addict, procrastination ain’t never fed the hunger of a savage, as sure as I’m rapping, Christ can make it happen, get closer to Him, and blow up in due fashion." I do definitely recommend picking up the album as a whole rather than just a song or two, because it really comes at you as a complete collection, instead of a collection of singles.
