When I hear the words “Hip Hop Alternative”, many different bands and styles go through my mind. Many MC’s have claimed to be the Hip Hop alternative because they sound different, or because they have created a new rhyme style. Bobby Bishop on the other hand states he is the Hip Hop Alternative because he wants people to know that there is more to life then what the Media tells you. Instead of coming up with a completely different sounding style, he comes to you with a different approach to life. Mr. Bishop has invested the past seven years of his life into urban youth programs in the city of Lynn, Massachusetts. (Bishop gets props for being the first MC to really bigup Lynn) His love for the youth is the focus of his lyrics throughout his debut album. He rhymes about his experiences with the youth and lyrically doesn’t just give them what they want, but also what they need. This is most obvious in songs like, “A Song for Amy”, and “This Question”, where he tackles serious issues about rape and drugs. A “Song for Amy” is put together like a support group session and Bobby takes on the role of a young girl named Amy. Bishop plays the part with feeling and emotion and after the song is done you feel for Amy, you are engulfed in every word and can start to feel what Amy has gone through. This album is by no means one dimensional; Bobby Bishop gives us some hard hitting tracks to bump in your Discman for those long bus rides. “Something’s Got to Give” is a straight banger where Bishop shares mic time with Macho and Drastic. Macho brings heat to his verse and steals the show on this track. “Who I Am” deals with knowing who you are in this crazy world. Over a thumping track by Creative Process, Bobby not only covers the topic of the song but actually gives some advice to kids, something that is not done much in music these days. “Why I Rhyme” is a complete song that hits from start to finish. Each MC has his own unique style, but mesh well together on this posse cut at the half way point of the album. In the end, this album is far from perfect, but that is not what Bobby Bishop set out to do. After listening to this album you can figure out pretty quickly where the artists heart is at and why he raps. He does if for the youth. What Bobby Bishop has given us is an album that is full of thought provoking lyrics that don’t just question life but also answers some of its tough questions. SSRC

That's a great album, a truly alternative to the wack hip-pop we have nowadays. Real Hip-Hop, from track 1 to the last...