(7 votes, average: 3.29 out of 5)
Loading...Born in Kansas City, MO., KRIZZ KALIKO was raised by a mom who spoon-fed him music. As an opera and gospel singer, as well as being the choir director of their church, his mother sang to him and, fortunately, made him sing with his sisters. He performed in the choir all throughout his early teens and his mom often treated the family to live concerts from artists like the Gap Band and Run-DMC. By the time KRIZZ KALIKO met Tech N9ne, he was already trying to figure out how to fuse opera and Hip Hop.
Powered by a fusion of funk, rap, rock, R&B and opera – a self-made style KRIZZ KALIKO calls “Funkra” – GENIUS covers the entire spectrum of genres, from the slow and seductive “Get Off” with Tech N9ne and the rock-flavored “The Chemical” to the street anthem “Back Pack” and the album’s crossover single, “Misunderstood.” KRIZZ KALIKO pulls from a wide variety of artists he enjoys listening to, from Billy Joel and Elton John to Prince, Cee-Lo and Soulja Boy, and in doing so, he has made an album that defies categorization. Along for the aurally eclectic rollercoaster ride that is GENIUS are Tech N9ne, E-40, Kutt Calhoun and Big Scoob.
As most fans already know, KRIZZ KALIKO offers a unique perspective on life that many can relate to. The husband and father of one was born with a skin disorder called Vitiligo, which he not only discusses openly in his music, but also used as the title of his debut CD. “I want people to get that people who look differently can actually be the coolest dudes,” he relays. “To come from being a freak to this dude that I am here is a wonderful and interesting story and makes you want to listen to the music even more.”
One of the GENIUS’s most poignant tracks sheds light on another of KRIZZ KALIKO’s conditions: “‘Bipolar’ talks about my experiences as a little kid, how I came to have anxiety problems and diagnosed as bipolar,” he explains. “Everybody I know that’s extremely talented or smart is a little bit crazy. I embrace that because without that I wouldn’t be as creative. I write songs about it and lots of fans identify with it.”
It’s important to KRIZZ KALIKO that his lyrics are not all about hardship and pain. “I want people to be excited by me, come into my world,” he adds. “I want you to have a good time when you’re around me. You gotta want people to want to be around you, want to listen to your music, want to be interested in you.” Judging by his scores of fans, KRIZZ KALIKO’s extensive grassroots efforts and inclusive musical philosophies are working.
Track listing
Intro
Titties Ft Tech N9ne
W.A.N.S. (We all need sex)
The Finger
Reckless Ft Ces Cru
Girls Like That Ft Bizzy
Schizophrenia
Do You Drink
Inside
Kill For Your Lovin’ Ft Crystal Watson
Send Your Love Ft Kortney Leveringston & IcyRoc Kravyn
Night Time
Why Me
Why So Serious
Scars ft Tech N9ne
Thank God
Track by track review and rating
Intro: Short intro here but it lets Krizz show his chopping skills which is nice. 7/10
Titties Ft Tech N9ne: The beat will seem very familiar to many hip hop fans because it is identical to Posse on Broadway by Run DMC with slight changes in the hook potion. The verses are not very deep in lyrical structure but the beat, easily sung along hook, and the addition of Tech N9ne make this a great track. 9/10
W.A.N.S. (We all need sex): The title says it all. This is a raunchy, dirty, and highly sexual track. A great beat drives the track. The verses repeat but that works here. The whole track has Krizz’s singing/r&b style throughout. 7/10
The Finger: The beat in this track is driven heavily by metal, a nice shift. Once again the title of the track speaks to what the track is about. Great lyrical wordplay in the verses and a hook everyone can get behind make this successful. 8/10
Reckless Ft Ces Cru: A complex yet simple beat backs this one. The hook is once again sung by Krizz. Ces Cru adds a lot with their verse in the track. The overall sound and flow of the track works but I falls a little short after the last one. 7/10
Girls Like That Ft Bizzy: Where is Miley Cyrus when you need her? This is a definite twerk/club track. The beat is really simple but will have the listener wanting to get their body moving. Bizzy adds a great verse. The hook is catchy. This is a great track on many levels. 9/10
Schizophrenia: Simple R & B style in this track. The verses speak on relationships we have all been in with someone who is completely crazy. They are also split between smooth flows and chopping and they lead to a sung hook combined with slight dubstep which works. 9/10
Do You Drink: The trend of song title and verse/hook being identical continues. A song about drinking that has a great beat but falls short in the verses. The hook saves the track from a poorer rating. 6/10
Inside: This track has a wicked beat. The verses and lyrics are once again raunchy R&B. The tone of this track is definitely one of pure animalistic sexuality. The quality of all elements is really well represented here. The hook is simple, effective, and easy to rock with. 9/10
Kill For Your Lovin’ Ft Crystal Watson: The beat in this track varies between the verses and the hook which adds to the tone. The hook is sung but lacks that wow factor. The verses are much better than the hook and that brings the rating up in this one. 7/10
Send Your Love Ft Kortney Leveringston & IcyRoc Kravyn: This track will remind people of those cheesy 90’s R&B love songs from the start. The verses have been modernized for these electronic times. The hook is good and the featured artists round it out well. 7/10
Night Time: Another classic R&B track here, although this one fits more into the typical mold. The verses and hook are really well done. 7/10
Why Me: A slow beat and great vocals lead this track from the start. The lyrics in both the verses and hooks are ok but nothing really stands out here. 6/10
Why So Serious: This track goes back to the serious and meaningful tracks we are used to with Krizz. The hook is infectious and the quality behind the mix is great. 8/10
Scars ft Tech N9ne: Simple beat, solid verses, great featured artist, and a good hook is the equation for a solid track. Krizz hits all those points in this track. 8/10
Thank God: This is a mellow beat to end this already mellow styled CD. This track has solid verses but the hook lacks here. 7/10
Conclusion: If you were a fan of his 2012 release Kickin and Screamin you will be let down by the change of tempo, style, and topics here. If you are a casual fan of Krizz and R&B you will dig this album without a doubt. Krizz Kaliko takes the listener on a raunchy and sexual journey into R&B while not making it so obscene it is not enjoyable. Krizz takes a lot of chances with this album and for the most part they pay off. Another very solid release by Krizz and Strange and a must for their fans.
Overall Rating: 7.5/10
Favorite Tracks:
- Schizophrenia
- Girls Like That Ft Bizzy
- Titties Ft Tech N9ne
Length:
- 54 Minutes
Record Label:
- Strange Music
Release Date:
- 08/27/2013
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