Kronden, Phil Da Agony and San Diego native Mitchy Slick of West Coast rebel group Strong Arm Steady have been pounding the underground circuit with five-mics-worthy mixtapes since 2003. Their newest album, Arms & Hammers, is a street-conscious effort that aims to turn the hip-hop industry back to the hip-hop movement that once reigned supreme.
With executive production from Afrocentric lyricist Talib Kweli, the album features a steady list of solid collaborators, including Too Short, Game, KRS-One and Kurupt, to name a few. Worthy of any DJ mixtape, the album’s 12 tracks carry a steady stream of gangsta funk hits perfect for the upcoming summer.
But Arms & Hammers carries more than just the typical West Coast head-bobbin’ beats. What makes the album most unique is the socially and politically conscious subject matter. From the shooting of Sean Bell to the recession, Arms & Hammers is a cultivated perspective on the issues plaguing both the black community and the nation at large.
On “Klack or Get Klacked,” the heavy-hitting record unapologetically throws shots at the police and sheds light on the plight of many who spend their days on neighborhood street corners.
Phil focuses his attention on the racial corruption in his hood when he brazenly demands that the “Black man shoot your friendly neighborhood policeman / ’cause they’ll say you got a gun / It’s just a cell in your hand.” The tenacious rhetoric continues on “All the Brothers,” when Phil boasts how “We went from chains on the boat / to getting change for the words we wrote / Even Obama took notes.”
It’s no question that these fine gentlemen are high on California love, and the influence of the West Coast’s culture, women and sound constantly blare through speakers. The mix of political awareness and club-worthy bangers must be a result of the additional production credits from DJ Khalil, Nottz and Terrace Martin, who all come from different spectrums in the hip-hop arena.
The only disappointment has to be the painfully out-of-place track “Blow My Horn,” featuring Kurupt. I get that the fellas always want to have something for the ladies, but this tune just wasn’t it.
Overall, Arms & Hammers is a standout effort, a refreshing blend of intellectual content that still remains loyal to the gritty beats and unapologetic subject matter of West Coast hip-hop. Aside from a few questionable tracks, this album is definitely a steady, head-bobbing treat for anybody in love with the movement.
