Who said hip hop is dead? The irrepressible seeds planted by the forefathers of hip hop have evolved into a sprouting fruition that lives rightfully so in the safety of the underground. Spreading like the sun’s rays, the tradition of “real hip hop” resides in the latest project from Detroit rapper Noveliss and producer Dixon Hill.
The two, who are represented by banners Clear Soul Records (Noveliss) and Fat Beats (Hill), came together for their first collaborative album Book of Changes. The 10-track album was orchestrated in a cabin in the middle of a desert, an impervious and calculated strategy intended to shield the creativity session from any potential disruptions or plagiarism, at the least. For Hill, curator of the album’s concept, the isolation was essential considering the theme that Book of Changes tackles.
Listen To ‘Book of Changes’ On Spotify
Book of Changes is named after and based on the ancient divination text known as “I Ching.” The philosophical manual of sorts is believed to have divine wisdom that provides insight on a variety of issues mediating human existence and the overall connection to the universe.
“I Ching” is explained using shapes and numbers translated into 64 Hexagrams, surrounding concepts such as Force, Sprouting, Arguing, Obstruction, Humbling, and Persevering, to name a few. Noveliss and Hill correspond each track on the album to parts of the “I Ching.”
The album leads with the vibrational single “Empty, where Noveliss shines lyrically as he effortlessly lays bar after bar on the jazz-influenced, boom bap Dixon Hill beat. A martial arts trained Noveliss acknowledges the likes of Nas, Black Thought, Eminem, and his favorite rapper MF Doom, for having a major impact on his music. This, coupled with his admiration of anime and his experiences on a life-long dream trip to Japan, have all contributed to his crafty rhyming ability ladening the tracks.
Noveliss’ Discography Is Inspired By Anime
“Empty,” the three-minute introduction to Book of Changes, sets a high standard, but neither Noveliss or Hill seem to relent on the challenge throughout the musical project. Standout tracks fall into the same category as the intro song with “Sincerity and Reverence” and “Cold Mountain” maintaining the familiar frequency of “food for thought” lyrics combined with sonically pleasing instrumentation.
Every deposit of lyricism is intentionally filled with enlightened ideas and even pays homage to hip hop of old — “Feng Shui” is just one example that slightly resembles the Asian-culture inspired Staten Island rap poets Wu-Tang Clan, while “Loss for Words” references A Tribe Called Quest’s 1990 single “Can I Kick It?”
Find Out More About Producer Dixon Hill
For the philosophical listener, Noveliss and Hill, the designer of the project’s artwork, included the “I Ching” Hexagrams on the back of the album cover while advising fans to listen to the entire album on repeat to achieve the “full effect” of Book of Changes.
“On repeat” status is the perfect response to this work of art. This project solidifies the masterful artistry of Noveliss and Dixon Hill as they do their part in keeping hip hop alive and conscious, a rarity in the landmark era of commercial rap.
Book of Changes is available now on Spotify, Bandcamp, Apple Music, and most music streaming platforms.
