Protoman-Beat a Dead Horse ‘Till She Ressurects.

After much anticipation triggered by an array of blog posts, the Broward native and Footwork4Self MC, Protoman has released his 2011 project entitled “Beat a Dead Horse ‘Till She Ressurects.” Protoman, for those who aren’t already aware, brings an edgier style of hip hop that the average head isn’t quite used to, but can easily learn to enjoy. He uses emotional references to relationships, drugs, and alcohol in a way that many hip hop fans have yet to hear up to this point.

The album begins with a promising track called “You.” This 3-verse track is a personal, emotional reflection of Proto’s hip hop career up to this point. He touches on how hip hop has changed since the start of his career and begins to reflect on his come-up as an MC. The song often gives you the visualization of Protoman looking in the mirror, motivating himself to persevere. It’s a very powerful song with deep meaning and inspirational lyrics such as: “It ain’t about the arrival, it’s about the journey.”

Track 2, “I Be Up Late,” definitely brings up the tempo. After some dope scratching courtesy of DJ Rob Riggs, a catchy hook pulls you into the start of a very memorable track. Protoman utilizes his clever lyricism throughout this track, proving it to be a strong one. You might just catch yourself singing that hook.

The dopeness continues with a VERY memorable track called “Yesterday.” This three-and-a-half minute song contains the album’s only vocal feature: Jabrjaw, a fellow Footwork4Self MC who is known for his true-school, boom bap style of lyricism. This track brings a true hip hop essence to the album and proves that Jabrjaw and Protoman compliment each other very well. It is easy to tell why this feature was added.

And of course, the heavily blogged about song “Roots” appears as the 4th track. This song, produced by Budo of Rhymesayers Entertainment, is definitely the main track of focus. Protoman assures his fans throughout this song that he appreciates them and won’t ever forget them.

Sadly, the album concludes with a depressing vibe from the last track entitled “Rendition of Death.” With that title in mind, you can anticipate what you’re getting into. Throughout the album there are tracks with similar vibe, so it only makes sense to keep the theme going.

As far as the production is concerned, It remains absolutely consistent. Almost every beat contains either a vintage-sounding organ or a rugged synth backed by various intricate drum patterns that seem to fit the album very well.

All in all, “Beat a Dead Horse ‘Till She Resurrects” is a very emotional album that showcases Protoman’s unique ability to express the sometimes harsh realities that life throws at you. The Footwork4Self MC proves that he has nothing to prove to you. He makes it apparent that Hip Hop is a significant part of his life and he is here to stay. Some tracks aren’t as memorable as others(just like any other album), but the ones that stand out seem to be timeless. Passion goes a long way, and this album is chalk full of it.

The album can be found at http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/beat-dead-horse-till-she-resurrects/id474601698

Stay tuned on fw4s.com and protomanmusic.com for hard copies.

Interview by – Golden Underground