Listen to the first two minutes of this album and you’ll know it’s hot. Mr. Green jumps off with a snippet from Spike Lee’s He Got Game over huge strings and an infectious beat. And before Pacewon even begins his laid-back, effortless flow, you’re already bouncing.

I love when an MC and DJ decide to create an entire album together. It provides for a chemistry not found on most Hip Hop records. The lyrics come from one voice, unadultered by out of place guest spots. The production is fluid and not just a sampling of beatmakers.

MF DOOM and Madlib’s Madvillainy, DJ Dangermouse and Jemini’s Ghetto Pop Life, Blu and Exile’s Below The Heavens are just a few examples that reflect this intimacy between MC and DJ. Pacewon and Mr. Green accomplish the same with The Only Color That Matters Is Green.

A relative newcomer, Mr. Green really impressed me. He shows huge range throughout the album. Mixing everything from a children’s choir to The White Stripes, he hits you with something fresh and new on every track. He could have released this as an instrumental and I still would’ve bought it. It’s that good.

Pacewon, on the other hand, has been around for a while. An original member of The Outsidaz, he’s been on the mic since 1991. However, his work on The Only Color That Matters Is Green far surpasses anything I’ve heard from The Outsidaz. He has refined his flow and focused his lyrics. Pace tells a story on every track and makes it sound easy. Every bar rides the beat to perfection.

The Only Color That Matters Is Green is a seamless album. Thoughtful, superbly produced and just plain dope. It’s definitely worth a listen.

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Four Quarters

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The Eye of a Needle

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She Be So Cold

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