Las Vegas, Nevada; from a Christian standpoint, you don't really hear about a lot of good things that come from here. Well, I'm here to let you know that there is a remnant of Christian emcees who are doing their thing for Jesus Christ straight from "sin city." One such emcee is ThaPsalmist2, who I've known for some time @ SphereofHipHop.com; and he's released his debut LP titled Under the Cover of Light.

When I got this album in the mail, the first thing that stands out is the cover art for this project; it is simply amazing. This is some of the sickest artwork I've seen, hands down, secular or Christian. As you can see in the picture to the left, it's a picture of ThaPsalmist2 standing on a set of speakers that has erupted from the ground. The artwork on the back of the J-card is fresh as well, and definitely led me to want to hear if the music was just as good.

With the theme and title being Under the Cover of Light you get the feeling that this isn't going to be your average run of the mill hip-hop album. There are lots of people out there trying to do their dirty "under the cover of darkness" so that no one can see what they're doing; but ThaPsalmist2 is flipping the script as he is rhyming "under the cover of light," which is Jesus Christ, for all to see.

One of the things that you notice when listening to this album is that this album has a much darker feel than your average Christian hip-hop album. Also, with ThaPsalmist2 being from Las Vegas, you would think that there would be more of a west coast vibe to this album, but it's definitely more underground than it is west coast hip-hop. Needless to say, the rhymes and production are fresh and invigorating. ThaPsalmist2 drops some very heavy lyrics that make you press rewind so that you can hear those verses again. Some of the tracks that exhibit his lyricism would include "Intro-Duction of an Emcee," "Meiosis," and "Razor Sharp." Alongside giving you mental calisthenics, ThaPsalmist2 also shows you that he knows how to have some fun with playful tracks like "Just Clownin'," "Incoherent Babble," and the "Outro - Freestyle."

The production on this album is sound as well. Each of the tracks on this album mesh perfectly with ThaPsalmist2's style and delivery, as well as the guest emcees that appear throughout the album (i.e. members of the Boombox Titans, and Excelsius). The production is very laid back and mellow, which lends the ear of the listener to listen more closely to the lyrics that are being delivered instead of focusing heavily on the music; this is essential for an album like this because there is so much that is being said that you don't want the music to be any sort of distraction.

Some of my favorite tracks on the album would include "Just Clowin'," "This is Not a Test" featuring Excelsius, "Meiosis," and "Who am I?" to just name a few. Also, if you're lucky enough to get a copy of the first pressing of this album, it includes 3 lovely bonus tracks for your listening pleasure. Those bonus tracks are just as pleasant to listen to as the rest of the album.

In summary, I had been curious about this album for some time, but never seemed to have the money to actually pick up a copy (or it would slip my mind). I can't believe I slept on this album for so long, and am glad that ThaPsalmist2 decided to send it our way. This is a very coherent album from start to finish; the rhymes are top-notch and the production is complimentary to the lyrics. If you haven't already, this album is definitely worth picking up.

You can check out more about ThaPsalmist2 at his website www.ThaPsalmist2.com, and be sure to pick up a copy of his album while you're there.

Rating: 3.50 out of 5 Mics