Ice Jackson – The Flu

Ice Jackson – The Flu – Album Review

Okay!  Now this sounds like something I’m going to want in on.  As “Whose Car We Gonna Take” started up Ice Jackson’s debut record called The Flu, it doesn’t even take more than a couple bars to know this dude is standing on business on some real solid ground.  Hearing Ice string together syllables with such supreme fluidity, swagger, and flow in his verses is EVERYTHING y’all, and if this is where things begin for Jackson’s music career, we’re all in for some killer music in the years ahead.  LISTEN to the man lean in and tell you direct – “I’m SPECIAL,” he says.  To which I say, fuck yeah man, I can hear that.  There’s truly an elite class of MC that understands rhythm and tempo in ways that others don’t and never will, and to my ears, it’s clear that Jackson belongs in that conversation.  He reminds me of Gift Of Gab, and that IS as special of a comparison as I could make pretty much…that’s high praise coming from me.  Deserved though…because he’s not only creating a brand of Conscious Hip-Hop that’s effective in terms of being true to the style, but he’s really taking it a level beyond in the way his opening track hits us with the kind of accessible vibes you don’t often find accompanying lyricism this knowledgeable and hard all at once.

First impressions count for a lot.  Ice immediately makes one with his opening track, and I’d say that “Sunpass” continues to hold the high standard in place as the album rolls along.  Do I like the second cut as much as the first one?  No – but we’re not talking about any kind of major difference, we’re just splitting a few hairs for the sake of conversation.  What I like about “Sunpass” a whole lot is the personality he’s putting into his words…that’s where he’s making his most significant impact on this second track.  The main difference between the first two cuts is that you’re likely to remember the first song, because the hooks are built into the fabric of the lyrics – as for “Sunpass,” this is where the man behind the mic becomes more of a memorable element than any one thing happening in the song itself – make sense?  Nothing wrong with that ultimately…it just depends on what you want the people to remember is all, but at the end of the day, as long as they remember the name of the guy rockin’ the mic, he’s probably doin’ alright.  Honestly, I find a lot of Conscious Hip-Hop to be like that…like, I could pick out Kweli or Killer Mike or Common or Diggs in clipping. on any playlist without hesitation because they’ve got their own individual identity on the mic, just like Jackson, but naming songs can still be a real challenge.

I also like that, while Ice would likely still be considered to be in the Conscious Hip-Hop realm, you don’t often find an E sitting beside every single track, because the giants in the genre are usually looking to be considered as intellectuals and worry about cursing too much.  Jackson is like FUCK THAT noise and has no problem blazing his own trail to find his own spot within the scene.  “Stretch” has the man making more noticeable moves and shifting gears through a set of different flows, and of course that’s crucial too.  “Ain’t nobody hard as me,” as he’ll tell ya…and from the sound of things, I don’t get the sense that he’s lyin.’  Speaking on how to make that one week’s worth of money “Stretch” out into two – don’t tell me you haven’t found something relatable in this track in today’s world!  How fucking refreshing though y’all…usually by the third track we’re already hearing about someone’s eleventh gold chain, fourth rolex, and seventh Maserati – but Ice is keepin’ it REAL for ya but explaining what it really means to “Stretch” in life.  His vocal versatility is a major advantage on this third cut…Jackson is clearly gifted in that regard.

“Outta There” would be a good example of a hook that’s memorable, even if it’s not one that’s doing much we haven’t heard in some way, shape or form before.  He’s using the title as the full hook more or less, and it works…people will definitely remember that, but in my personal opinion, it’s what he’s doing with the verses that makes so much more of an impact on what will impress you most about this track.  The clarity that Ice raps with is nothing less than impressive, and when you combine that with the way he can speed things up or slow’em down…you know, that versatility I was referring to earlier…it basically creates this effect where you don’t just notice what he’s saying, but the way he’s saying it – and that seriously matters when it comes to the art of rhythm and poetry.  For the record, I’d get on any artist or band for going with a simplified/repetitive hook…it’s just not something I usually respond to all that much, but it does always strike me as stranger to find that happening in Hip-Hop/Rap music, where the words are the most important ingredient.  Like, if you’ve got the space, use it!  Add some words in there rather than just repeat yourself…or change things up, at least a little.  There are parts of the hook that Ice does that, so don’t get me wrong, I’m not totally complaining so much as I’m making an observation & thinking out loud.  I still like what I’m hearing in the vast majority of “Outta There” overall, calm down.

“Back to the lecture at hand” – Ice continues to make moves that count on “Uncle Mike.”  One of the cuts on this record where the music really gives the man on the m-i-c a run for his money, I absolutely dig the jazzy beat and piano-led melody combo he’s workin’ with here.  Bringing in none other than Eric Jackson, whom I would have to assume is “Uncle Mike” in this particular context…if he’s not, he sure makes it sound like it with the confident spoken word he lays down in the last half of this song.  It’s the only guest appearance on the whole record, because Ice doesn’t need all that co-sign bullshit that so many in the game seem to rely on…he’s gone with the essential ingredient – himself…and time & again he’s proven that that’s really all he needs.  As for the addition of Eric here, that’s still a good call to have made and it makes a difference…all I’ve been saying is that Ice has already proven he stands tall on his own – ain’t nothing wrong with having someone show up in your corner to back you up.  “Uncle Mike” drops KNOWLEDGE and WISDOM right up on ya at the end y’all, so I hope you’re paying some damn attention to all that’s being said.  I love this kind of stuff.  I wouldn’t go as far as to say it qualifies as Rap exactly, but c’mon, Spoken Word is a close enough cousin, and it adds an artistic dimension to this cut.

Bass line on-point, he cruises right into “The Stars In The Sky,” armed with exactly what you’d expect – POUND CAKE y’all!  We’ll have to arrange an interview with Ice to find out if it’s lemon, as it should be.  In any event, pound cake has certainly having a moment this year (shout out to Afroman!), so a mere reference in this track should give it another measure of relevance alongside its other kickass ingredients.  “Shit that dry her pussy up and make her put her pants on” is a line and a half yo!  Expect to chuckle a bit when you’re listening to this record…as I understand it from what I’ve read about him, when Jackson isn’t busy rapping to ya, he’s been workin’ the comedy circuit at festivals nationwide too.  He’s got a stellar balance goin’ on in that regard…you can’t take him as any kind of joke when he’s on the mic, but if he CHOOSES to make you laugh, you will.  You get what I’m saying though – you can’t help but take the man seriously when he’s in music mode, because he’s that damn good, and the bars on “The Stars In The Sky” would be more than enough to sell anyone out there on that being the truth.  As far as the hooks go…look…I’ve been to this place before (shout out to Afroman, again!) – Ice has purposely colored way the fuck outside the lines with how he sings the chorus of “The Stars In The Sky,” and it’s gonna work for some and not for others…it’s a live by the sword, die by the sword situation.  Is it my favorite part of the song?  Hell no.  The rest…the verses…man…they’re God-tier level stuff!  I’m happy to shout out Afroman for a comparative approach in the chorus, but I don’t love it when he goes off-key either…chances are, I was tuning in for the rest.  That being said, these strange sounds can often be majorly underestimated…at one point you’re questioning them…by the next, you’re singing along.  I acknowledge there’s risk in that kind of approach, but it usually works out better than you’d assume.

Title-track!  Coughing his way into “The Flu,” Ice sounds plenty healthy after that once he starts spittin’ bars with the supreme confidence and precision he’s brought to this record from the moment it started.  Keep that oxygen tank handy though…you’d think Jackson would be straight outta breath at some points along the way as he raps this one out, but the man understands the mission and he executes, full stop.  I get the feeling that even IF he had “The Flu,” he’d still be able to handle his business like you can at full strength.  Ice has really put the work in…you can hear it line after line whether he’s making references to chicken or Jason Voorhees, the man’s pen is sharp and his tongue is silver.  SICK is what the man is on “The Flu,” and God bless the man for his efforts.  People will listen to Ice Jackson, that’s facts.  Through the first half of his record, he hasn’t pulled any punches or let his standards dip in any kind of detrimental way…and clearly, there’s no reason to assume he would in the second half to follow.  He’s got solid balance on his title-track with strong verses and a hook that’s memorable – plus it’s got an official video…you’ll fuck with this – check it out!

“I’m that guy can’t no one stand,” he says as he spells out who he IS throughout “On Brand.”  If he truly does have some haters out there, he’s well aware of who they are, and just like you probably assumed, no – he don’t give no fucks about any of’em.  Ice sounds like the legendary Coolio on this track in the verses, and that might very well be one of my favorite things about it.  Dude was a titan on the mic and he hardly got half the credit he deserved for being as great as he was (R.I.P.).  I like the additional vocals he’s got backing him up in this track…and…well, I mean, I like just about everything I hear.  I might argue that the hooks come out a little choppy and less natural than his flow tends to sound on the regular, but it’s no big deal.  I feel like by track eight, I get it – Ice is more than likely always going to be way more impressive to me in the verses than he’ll be in the hooks of a chorus, but the verses are generally why I’m listening to any kind of Rap or Hip-Hop in the first place.  I’m here for the words and the wisdom, you feel me?  If I feel like singing along, I will…but I’m generally tuning in for something different than that in these particular genres, and Ice has had no problem keeping my ears fully engaged at all times.  “On Brand” is catchy without question…almost to the point where you could make a case that the hooks are the stronger part of the song, or at least the more memorable parts of it…but I’m here for the bars.  “I’m not a business plan – I’m a religion, man” is yet another killer line you’ll find on a record full of’em.

Oh, I see how it is!  “Wowzers – guess what I’m packin’ in my trousers?  The biggest pair of nuts in the world for you browsers.”  Pffff.  Sure, but like, are you kickin’em with your feet as you walk, like I am homie?  That’s what I fuckin’ thought!  Call me when you’re old as dirt like I am Ice, and we’ll talk.  All kidding aside, “You Can’t Touch This” is a seriously fierce track on this record that I couldn’t get enough of.  Now lemme tell you why.  Jackson makes a major switch in his approach here, and it’s one that his listeners AND peers should really take notice of, because it works brilliantly.  Look…we all put SO MUCH emphasis on the hooks in just about any track we’re listening to whether or not it’s Rap or Rock music – but what if you just said FUCK IT, and stuck to your strengths instead?  So in this instance on “You Can’t Touch This,” Jackson doesn’t worry about creating a main hook for people to hold their lighters and cell phones up for, and instead attacks the bars from start to finish without worrying about the extraneous stuff that wouldn’t suit the moment.  I WISH more artists would take note of what he’s doing here and why it works.  It’s as simple as playing to your strengths and doing what the song is calling out for – that’s what’s got me so jazzed about how he’s crushing “You Can’t Touch This” and why I wanted to spin this particular cut over and over again.  Ice IS untouchable in the verses he designs – that’s what’s real.  I’m not saying or suggesting that there aren’t still hooks in this track, because of course there are…but he’s left behind the idea that he needs to have a specific chorus in order to succeed, and proves that his instincts on that are correct by the way that “You Can’t Touch This” becomes such a mammoth highlight.

Hell, I’d probably go as far as to say the most potent back-to-back combo on the record is where “You Can’t Touch This” and “Free Lunch” are featured.  Art and music has always documented who we are & what we do in society – but comedians in general seem to have a whole lot of an easier time speaking on the truth than those in power ever will.  Proving the point, Ice takes a minute, or two to be exact, to explain the dire situation that many folks are facing in poverty throughout the United States right now.  While we are all generally familiar with how the very concept of ANYONE being stuck in poverty in the land of the plenty is all complete & total bullshit forced upon the people by the elite class, “Free Lunch” is the kind of reminder that we need to know precisely who it is we’re affecting most.  Yes, adults are struggling without a doubt – but the most unintended victims are those that depend on them, aka the kids.  Jackson will remind you how the pentagon has NEVER passed an audit in the history of its existence, while the children out there are already racking up DEBT just trying to fucking EAT at school.  Disgusting, ain’t it?  Sadly, the man is spitting nothing but the truth…you can either pay attention, speak up like he is, or turn a blind eye to social inequity and injustice…those are your choices, and they matter right now.  You can turn your head if you want to or you’re privileged enough to be able to, but there’s a real good chance that the problems we’re facing in society are affecting someone you know & you love right fucking NOW.  I’ve got mad love for artists like Jackson that are doing what’s right and using their platform to highlight crucial issues like this – “Free Lunch” is more than entertainment, it’s important.

Now…what’s this here?  Ice Jackson goin’ emo for ya?  Talent can translate in the strangest ways y’all.  Do I recognize that his voice is flat in several spots as he sings his way through “Southside Overdrive?”  Of course I do – this ain’t my first rodeo, I’ve been in music journalism for longer than most of you have been alive.  Would that stop me from listening to “Southside Overdrive?”  Hell no!  What works here is pure fucking gold…and honestly, his tones aren’t nearly so far off that they’d turn you off.  It’s merely a matter of the fact that the dude is built to Rap, and singing is a distant secondary skill – that doesn’t mean he’s bad at it, or even that I wouldn’t advise him to do something like this again.  Hell, I’d probably tell you that for a whole lot of people out there, “Southside Overdrive” will be THE cut on the record that they enjoy most, and if that’s you, you’ll get nothing but a high five from me because I fucking love it too!  You see folks?  You don’t always need to be pitch perfect or worried about making “mistakes” – all you need to do is right by yourself & the vision you have for your art…and we’ll all be stoked to rock with you as a result.  Mainstream artists like Little Wayne have been wildly off-key at several points in their music…independent artists we completely believe in like Joho have been too – but they’re out there displaying a level of courage and artistic integrity most people would kill to possess.  “Southside Overdrive” is the mood and the moment all in one, I’m tellin’ ya.  The energy is spectacular, it’s catchy AF, and it’s a genuine pleasure to listen to Ice take a major departure with his music and challenge himself as an artist…trust me when I tell ya, that’s how you grow and evolve in your craft.  As far as the hooks go, I think Ice silences anyone that would think he’s incapable of creating an effective one with this track, “Southside Overdrive” is a genuine banger that might very well be the real gem of this record.

“I know what it is,” because we’ve been here before…you hear a track that gets you all amped up, and might be your favorite on the record, and it’s super tough for that next cut to keep up.  “I’ll Be There In Spirit” holds its own about as well as any track might be able to coming after “Southside Overdrive.”  It’s still a quality cut, no doubt about that, but the adjustment back to our regular scheduled program might prove to be a tough switch for some as we slide back into a laidback beat after experiencing so much energy right beforehand.  That being said, stick with it…”I’ll Be There In Spirit” does a lot of things right.  I love the music he’s working with on this track…I like the pace and the intention that he’s spittin’ with, and I also dig that he’s breaking that stoic nature of his delivery towards the start by adding in some laughter, once again taking a smart page outta the Afroman playbook.  It’s a brief moment in a track that sounds damn near deadly serious, but the vibe is real and hangs in the air like wisps of smoke in the backroom of the club.  It’s a stylistic cut without question, but it’s 100% solid from point A to point B.

“Li’l Ol’ Me” explains Ice’s REAL motivations in life, as he tells you he’s looking for a travel show of his own and just rappin’ cause it comes so naturally to him.  Jackson goes on to detail how much of a PROBLEM he can be if y’ain’t careful, so you’re probably best keepin’ him on your good side.  Loved the part where he switched up the sound of his vocals in the production, like he’s rappin’ through a bullhorn or something along those kinda lines…you get it, it’s got distortion, sounds edgy…I’m into it.  “I just happen to be exceptional at this,” he’ll tell ya before the song kicks into gear and he proves it right in real time for ya…no lies detected.  This is one of those cuts where he’ll shift between super serious lines and comical material so seamlessly, most people won’t even pick up on what he’s layin’ down at first.  Switchin’ up his style and sound several times along the way as you listen, there’s a versatility to this particular track that doesn’t exist in every track, and I think listeners out there will appreciate the diversity of his approach to “Li’l Ol’ Me.”  Ice has got great instincts on the mic and seems to inherently know what will connect and resonate with listeners…dude knows how to create cuts we’ll turn right UP.

There IS a lot here to listen to on the inside of the forty-five minutes of The Flu…so much so, that you’ll probably feel like what you heard had to be longer than it actually was.  Part of that is a fourteen track lineup, but part of that is the effect of Conscious Hip-Hop being a genre that’s always been focused on the words and adding as many of’em into the mix as possible.  The effect of that can have some weight to it, there’s no doubt about that…it takes concentration and your full attention if you’re really listening like you SHOULD be.  As I cruised into “All I Know,” I felt like Jackson has done a tremendous job on his debut record, and I’d definitely listen to whatever he’ll come up with next.  Did he end on the highlight of all highlights?  No!  But that’s okay.  “All I Know” isn’t necessarily what you’d think should hit the cutting room floor, but it’s probably the fourteenth track on my list of favorites from this album when it comes right down to it…and it’s STILL solid!  Ice has prioritized both entertainment and lyricism all the way through his set-list, and he’s come out with a win in both columns.  The Flu is a tight record that is unexpectedly thought-provoking at times, brilliantly amusing at others, and definitely worth your time.

Find music by Ice Jackson at Spotify here:  https://open.spotify.com/artist/6GgJu5ix2fhZil4HulTYTN

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