NOSAPRISE “Book of the Dead VOL 1”

A friend of mine just sent me this interesting concept mixtape inspired by the evil dead and deceased hip-hop artists. Now before I begin allow me to give this disclaimer: (This mixtape deals with dark and violent subject matter. If you are hypersensitive please go find your Drake album and do not listen because you may be disturbed or need your tin foil hat for your favorite conspiracy theory). Now lets begin, I am not the biggest fan of zombie movies but I am a hip-hop fan who holds many of the greats who passed in higher esteem based on their body of work. I also love a good concept because they tend to give albums the backbone needed in most instances to have an identity that is lasting. This mixtape is a daring take on Hip-hop meets the Zombie genre without turning into a full on horrorcore/shockrap album. Samples lifted from the “evil dead” are littered throughout to try to tie things together but it doesn’t really do the job in my opinion. The samples don’t move the album as much as just provide a few interesting sprinkles and are sometimes annoying like the voices and sound on “the bloody mary” track. Which is just the tupac “hail Mary” track with laughter and voices on it. The mc on this is NOSAPRISE an up and coming Houston rapper who shows that he has promise delivering interesting flows musing over life,death,the hereafter and religion. Nosaprise has an interesting cadance and his wordplay is solid. The beats on this are produced or used by the dead hip-hop greats the tracks are dedicated to which was a nice touch especially when it worked out like the Dilla inspired “raise em up”. Overall I like the concept but wish it was more developed and if he would have left “Whos laughing now””Bloody Mary” and “RNS” in the grave this mixtape would be a much better listen.

6.5 out of 10