Record Review: D-Tension

by | May 1, 2011 | Reviews

D-Tension
Wack Music For Dope People
Lowell, MA

“Relatable rhymes for everyday conundrums”

In Wack Music For Dope People, Lowell-based rapper D-Tension calmly addresses his exasperation for the daily motion in a manner that is both empathetic and entertaining. With verses that explore life’s blunders and such common misfortunes as lousy roommates, crushing hangovers and friction boners for elementary school teachers, D-Tension forgoes the harder side of hip-hop for a friendlier, co-worker conjecture.

The album’s opener, “Keep the Party Started,” is a list-happy track that bounces along and catalogs all the materials and elements for a good time, including: cocaine, lobster and super models, before careening into a wall of mishap.

In “I’m So Old” he exercises his seniority, describing how longevity is more significant than popularity. “I’m so old that Old School to me is records from the ’70s, not 2003,” quips the rapper.

At first, Wack Music’s light-hearted, Fresh Prince style may raise a few eyebrows, but the clean production, clever use of samples and Funk Brothers-like instrumentation cements this realist rapper’s talent, placing him somewhere between De La Soul and The Lonely Island. (Commonwealth Records)

www.d-tension.com