[RATING: 5] Never one to let himself be pigeonholed, rapping doctor Chima Anya goes through a kaleidoscope of emotion on After All This Time over a kaleidoscope of beats from Frenchman and Evidence-lookalike Clem Beat’z. It’s like a hip-hop episode of Jeremy Kyle, only without the offensive right wing Christian morality, the baying audience mob and the hapless fuckwits on stage. So actually, not at all like Jeremy Kyle at all. If you’re one of Chima’s exes or a mate he’s known for a long time there’s an even chance on the opener and title track that he’s reminiscing over you. But not like Pete Rock. On the Philly soulful beat of Thank You he’s positively ecstatic with the joys of summer and then in a bi-polar switch he’s all gloomy on At A Time‘s piano-tinkly late-night jazz-hop backdrop. That’s what happens when you rap about life during an economic downturn – oops my bad – ‘recovery’. You can’t keep our man down for long though and by the time the 2000-era Quannum style funk of Not Concerned kicks in – he’s a bit cross about teen-rap posturing. Which gives way to the self-possession of the ‘Jazzmatazzy’ Simple and soulful closer So Called Love‘s consideration of matters of the heart where Chima’s been dissed by his missus and is a bit miffed about it. Alright – that one is a bit like Jeremy Kyle. Dope beats, dope rhymes, and by turns funny and serious. Hey – it’s like hip-hop used to be! Players and vid below…
(Out now on iTunes)