Customer Rating:  
Summary: Disgraceful and sickening
Comment: If a Christian album is so watered down and devoid of the message of God that a secular listener could write the review quoted below, the word "Christian" should not even be mentioned.
REVIEW BY Bob the Babysitter: "I was exposed to this CD by accident, taking care of a preteen who received it for his birthday. It so offended my ears that I had to find more about it on the internet. Now I understand that it's a DC talk member's side project. Just like anything else I've heard labeled "Christian Rock," it basically consists on watered-down stylistic rip-offs of popular secular artists with some Christian messages tacked on. The shocking thing about this CD is that the usually overt Christian messages are so muted that they're almost subliminal. tobyMac gives props to God here and there, but if that's all that's required to be a Christian artist, then I suggest everyone reading this to pick up Jay-Z's latest album, since he's also Christian by these standards.
[portion of review concerning musical talent deleted]
This message may be falling on deaf ears sitting on a Christian album review page, but here it goes: People, this is what happens when praising God (or pretending to) becomes a lucrative industry. People take a sound that sells, shallowly sprinkle on some god and slap it on the shelf. It's the musical and philosophical equivalent of meth; it's supposed to get you high, but it's so toxic that leaves you awake for days with a splitting headache, puking in the trashcan.
If you're looking for some substantial Christian music, avoid this phony Christian music and buy your kid "Mos Def & Talib Kweli Are Black Star," instead."
I reviewed TM's album Welcome to Diverse City just before reading Bob's review, and I stand by my opinion all the more so! I feel that the two stars I gave WTDC were two too many.
"I charge you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom: Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables. But you be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry."
2 Timothy 4:1-5
Customer Rating:
Summary: Christian Rap
Comment: Tobymac is the GREATEST in Christain rap, hip-hop, and rock! He amazes me and gets me lifted. He creates great songs to praise God and unite people. I really like....no love him! Buy this CD!
Customer Rating:
Summary: A Mixed Mac
Comment: There's a reason why I call tobyMac the master of music, with his work with DC Talk and his incredible solo career. However, the Mac has some trouble here finding his solo identity. First off, 18 tracks is highly impressive, he must have been working on the CD for a few years. But there's one thing I noticed throughout the whole album, an identity crisis, he wanted to not be DC Talk with just one singer, he wanted to be different, this CD is trial, and some of it comes to be error.
There's about 4 highlights, "Somebody's Watching" is a great funky hip-hop track with a gospel singer on background vocals, and the whole track works well. "Love is in the House" is my favorite track being a fusion of rap and pop. "In the Air" is an unique song, being really part conversation set to a beat, and it works well. And finally, the first track, which is a great party song, and seems to be the only harder rock song I liked.
On the other hand, the rest of the songs either don't work i.e. "Irene", or are very hard rock or hip-hop i.e. "J-Train," "What's Goin' Down". If you like the hard rock group RED, you'll like the Mac here. Me? I think it's too over the top, in fact it's WAY over the top. The lyrics point to crimes that are downright disturbing. The problem here is that the album is going to appeal to a younger audience, what are they going to think of the second verse of "What's Goin' Down" where the story of "Susie" is recounted?
After the phenomenon that was DC Talk, Toby felt he had to get away from it as quickly as possible, so do a hard rock/hip-hop/rap record with very little pop. Obviously the experiment didn't work too well as Toby totally shifted away from the hard stuff, and went lighter. He finally found his identity with "Portable Sounds", this album on the other hand is better for I-Tunes.
There's a reason why I call tobyMac the master of music, with his work with DC Talk and his incredible solo career. However, the Mac has some trouble here finding his solo identity. First off, 18 tracks is highly impressive, he must have been working on the CD for a few years. But there's one thing I noticed throughout the whole album, an identity crisis, he wanted to not be DC Talk with just one singer, he wanted to be different, this CD is trial, and some of it comes to be error.
There's about 4 highlights, "Somebody's Watching" is a great funky hip-hop track with a gospel singer on background vocals, and the whole track works well. "Love is in the House" is my favorite track being a fusion of rap and pop. "In the Air" is an unique song, being really part conversation set to a beat, and it works well. And finally, the first track, which is a great party song, and seems to be the only harder rock song I liked.
On the other hand, the rest of the songs either don't work i.e. "Irene", or are very hard rock or hip-hop i.e. "J-Train," "What's Goin' Down". If you like the hard rock group RED, you'll like the Mac here. Me? I think it's too over the top, in fact it's WAY over the top. The lyrics point to crimes that are downright disturbing. The problem here is that the album is going to appeal to a younger audience, what are they going to think of the second verse of "What's Goin' Down" where the story of "Susie" is recounted?
After the phenomenon that was DC Talk, Toby felt he had to get away from it as quickly as possible, so do a hard rock/hip-hop/rap record with very little pop. Obviously the experiment didn't work too well as Toby totally shifted away from the hard stuff, and went lighter. He finally found his identity with "Portable Sounds", this album on the other hand is better for I-Tunes.
Customer Rating:
Summary: TobyMacs spreads the Gospel of Jesus
Comment: This Cd was awesome. TobyMac has a very special way of spreading the Gospel of JEsus. My kids loved the cd also. "Lets get this party started".....
Customer Rating:
Summary: not that great....at all...don't recommend this cd
Comment: On a scale of 1 to 5 I rate the music a 1 and the lyrics a 2. I agree on many points with the reviewer A.W. Howell(read the review). The only songs that I liked was 'Irene'(liked the content and that guitar...),'Do you know'was alright and I liked the message contained in 'In the air'but besides that it is not worth listening to. From a Christian girl that is into latin music,r&b,some rock and quality Christian music this rock-rap genre just didn't do it for me. Oh, and what's up with some of these other tracks like 'Toby's Mac', 'Tru-Dog', and 'Triple Skinny'??? I expected so much more, especially more profound lyrics that grab your attention and get you really thinking about Jesus and living a meaningful Chrisitan life. *Helpful advice before buying a cd whether on-line or not:Listen to samples of each song on the cd if possible and look up the lyrics.
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