Oct 11, 2002 By "lord Willin'," Clipse 2 min read

On its debut release, Clipse strikes a note for a Virginia brand of hip-hop. Nothing about the disc stands out – this rap duo of brothers Malice (Gene Thornton) and Pusha T (Terrence Thornton) does everything well. Their rhymes are well thought-out and their flow is smooth and easily understood. Add to this a high level of production quality and dance tracks that will have the clubs blazing, and you have one of the most well balanced releases of the year. From the start, it’s apparent Clipse was raised in the streets and in a world of hustling.

Their music is beyond any regional definition, with influences of East and West Coast, Mid-West, and Dirty South. Most of all, it’s funky and danceable. This is one of those rare discs without a throwaway track, and one that firmly places Clipse on the map in the hip-hop scene.

“Simply Traditional,” Leland Martin

Here is the real deal among the crop of pretenders to the Randy Travis throne of traditionalism. The sound is mellow, resonant, and genuine, with honest, sincere lyrics set to down-home melodies. The instrumental work is heavy on the dobro, fiddle, steel guitar, and bass, leaving no doubt that this is pure country all the way.

Some of the musicianship sounds downright fresh, even while it’s heavy on tradition, and background singers add lovely harmonies. The best part is that each one of the generous 15 songs here is better than just good.

“Freddie’s Heart,” a loping duet with Freddie Hart, is a beautiful ode to a dream. “If I Had Long Legs (Like Alan Jackson),” a fun homage to contemporary country singers, is a lively romp through some clever word play. It’s a joy to hear that deep roots can still yield a bumper crop.

(Distributed by Scripps Howard News Service, http://www.shns.com.)