Whoa.
CyHi is probably one of the “non-active”, if you will, artists on Kanye West’s GOOD Music label. But the recent release of his Black Hystori Project will definitely have you thinking otherwise. He’s been dropping guest verses for a minute, but he really shows us that he can hold his own and craft a great body of work with his latest mixtape. The Black Hystori Project is very impressive. The approach and concept is cool, it follows an elementary school student sharing his Black History project about Cydel Young (CyHi’s government name) and delves right into the music. The bars, flow and delivery are insane and equally matched with the beats. So, let’s get into it.
There are 18 tracks on BHP, and almost every one of them is packed with intelligent, clever and sharp bars. Most of the production is carried by two producers, M-16 and Tec Beatz, with beats from a handful of other producers. Quite simply, the beat selection is perfectly fitting. Some of the track titles highlight major figures in Black History including; Huey (Huey P. Newton), Mandela (Nelson Mandela), Basquiat (Jean-Michel Basquiat) and these tracks also happen to be the standouts we’ve chosen to cover in this review.
Huey is one of the hardest tracks on the entire project. Firstly, the beat is dope, it bangs! The keys and the vocal sample (“oooh”) coming together over the horns and drums is insane. Secondly, lyrically, CyHi delivers quality bars with a crazy flow. One of the lines that really stands out is this:
“I’m from where the dudes rob and argue all day about/ who’s the best MC? Cyhi, Stacks or T.I/
while doggin’ the GBI my bad I left Jeezy out/ but I’m still the best to ever do it and I ain’t even put a CD out”
Black leather, beret cap era, guns at your capital, take it to that measure!
Mandela follows Huey and it goes just as hard. The sound is grand and CyHi drops the bars to match. His flow get ridiculous when the beat intensifies and it makes you want to chant along with the hook. This has that stadium status feel.
Mandela, Nelson!
Basquiat is a major standout for us as well. The beat samples Soho’s Hot Music and Lyn Collin’s “Think”, and its done exceptionally well. CyHi’s flow on this is really dope. He shows us that he can speed it up and not risk lyrical ability, a difficult task to the unseasoned rapper.
I do this shit for Basquiat!
CyHi is officially on my radar. He is easily one of the most overlooked and underrated rappers that’s actually signed to a label with a major distribution partner (GOOD/Island Def Jam). No word on the progress of his debut album but we hope CyHi keeps delivering dope music. The boy can rhyme, he’s got the bars and the delivery. He’s also got a strong ear for beats, this project proves that with every play. I love that CyHi addresses the people who claim Atlanta can’t produce lyrical rappers (people obviously forgot about OutKast). I encourage you to check out the Black Hystori Project and though it may be too early to call it, I’m willing to say that this is one of best mixtapes to come out in 2014.
“my father named me Cydel/ my momma pushed out a diamond/ took out the del off my name and put the H-I behind it/
that’s CY-HI short for your HIghness/ then I added The Prynce so you know where my mind is”
