Scribes of Life

A rangy young rapper from Philadelphia, Journalist did well with a first single ("Extended Family"), and dropped his debut album in 2002. As you'd guess from his nom de plume, Scribes of Life marks the genesis of an intelligent rapper; influenced by Rakim, Kool G Rap, and Nas, Journalist finds the hard truths about urban living and often works them into his rhymes, as on "Getting the Games Confused" and "Throwing It All Away." The single "Extended Family" is the highlight, with the M.O.P. duo trading rhymes over tough beats. Still, while it's clear he's using his imagination, Journalist's rapping isn't strong enough to carry an album mostly by himself, and his lyrics don't impress any more than any other 50 rappers already recording.