The word Unsung is a good way to describe the musical career of Brooklyn emcee Sha Stimuli. His perseverance in hip hop is something many people can relate to and since his release of 12 mixtapes in 12 months in 2008, Sha Stimuli has been on roll ever since. in 2009, he released his acclaimed debut album My Soul To Keep and now he brings us Unsung Vol. 1: The Garden of Eden.
UNsung Vol. 1 is a loose story about the career of Sha Stimuli and some of stories (some personal) throughout his life. Skits are perfectly placed between specific songs that link with the situations in his career. UNsung doesn't carry the dark undertones like My Soul To Keep did. The album starts off with the intro track "The Stir" and that sets the tone for the entire album. Rapper Big Pooh (of Little Brother) assist Stimuli on the banger "Believe Me". The highlights keep coming on the next few songs "Who I Am" has Stimuli throwing hilarious lines out like "You know they won't me underground like a ninja turtle/ thats why i Grimace at these clowns but I ain't big & purple/ if Family Matters i'm Stefan Urkell fu*king Laura once I slaugher her I switch back like BITCH I'm Urkel". And then the clever track "Game Over" has Sha putting video games and board games all into a verse. It's a lot more just rapping on UNsung unlike his previous releases and Sha Stimuli's lyricism is UNsung's greatest strength.
With songs about female personal hygiene (The Smelly Cat Song), songs about cursing God for a good cause (Blasphemy), to songs about women trying to trap men with children (My Baby), Sha Stimuli has to the king of "the song everyones afraid to make". He adds to his collection with "The MILF Song". The hilarious tale of a man dating a woman with children and the up's and downs of being with a woman with a family... not yours.
Another stellar song, "Insanity" features Stimuli rhyming with no hook, just straight rapping. Halfway through the album every song has hit it's mark. The only borderline filler may be the song "Effortless" featuring Prince EA of St. Louis. The song itself isn't that bad but just doesn't seem to fit on the album. But perhaps one of UNsung's strongest tracks is the Mickey Factz assisted "Televised Revolution". Both Stimuli and Mickey Factz trade bars throughout the powerful song.
The albums closer, "The Garden" speaks on appreciation for everyday life. "Adam & Eve, they lived in a paradise, but didn't know so they gave it to their appetite, then had to go/ & they looked back at it & they saw what they had there. Somedays I do that with my past years". Unlike any song on the album, you really can hear and feel the sincerity in the words of Stimuli on this song. The tracks somber production sets the perfect mood for the song.
As a whole UNsung Vol. 1 is a very great album. Overall production is above average but leaves room for improvement at the same time. It's scary to see what Sha Stimuli could do over even stronger production. Fans of Stimuli should be more than pleased after hearingUNsung Vol. 1 and eagerly awaiting what Sha Stimuli thinks of next. If your looking for music with substance, clever lyricism and originality, then UNsung is what you need.
05/13 - 
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