Rhymefest, El Che
dN|Be Entertainment
Now back in the underground, Rhymefest no longer dreams of Kanye-assisted stardom. That’s a good thing, because El Che sounds less compromised than his 2006 debut, Blue Collar. It has all of the lyrical flights of fancy the Chicago MC is known for, but none of the awkward pop strains that blotted past singles like “Fire.†And while it has a modest political component – on “Truth on You†Rhymefest compares people around the world to activists-in-training — El Che mostly delivers “Prosperity,†“How High,†and other raps with an optimistic, melodic perspective.
