Tee Double

Gas Mask (Kinetic Global Media Group)

Continuing his album-a-year strategy, the inexhaustible Tee Double stays the course on Gas Mask, a mixed bag of circuitous messages, detours, and straight lines. The local rapper/advocate/producer born Terrany Johnson jumps in with bloody ferocity by citing an ongoing lack of emceeing in “Global Extinction”: “If I had a sharp knife/ I’d slit it down your larynx/ Play it like a clarinet.” He also touches on “original man” and ancient kinetics concepts, subtle (“Message for Earth,” “Asteroid Belts”) and overt (“Black Fist Solid”). Unfortunately, and especially troubling for a nine-track project, these moments of dynamism show up few and far between. The awkward “Enjoying the View” means well in its agave-thickened sweet nothings. The remainder of the album is equally problematic, powder-puff production and preachiness. Tee spends a considerable amount of time telling you what today’s MCs lack while elevating himself, but he’s duplicating previous efforts.

*.5

This article appears in July 24 • 2015.

A note to readers: Bold and uncensored, The Austin Chronicle has been Austin’s independent news source for over 40 years, expressing the community’s political and environmental concerns and supporting its active cultural scene. Now more than ever, we need your support to continue supplying Austin with independent, free press. If real news is important to you, please consider making a donation of $5, $10 or whatever you can afford, to help keep our journalism on stands.

SUPPORT US

Kahron Spearman is a journalist and writer with bylines including The Austin Chronicle, Austin Monthly, Consequence of Sound, Texas Highways, and the London-based journal The Break-Down. He currently serves as Senior Editor at Atmosphere TV.