Streams of Thought, Vol. 3: Cane and Abel

AlbumOct 16 / 202013 songs, 34m 53s
Noteable

In the third installment of Black Thought\'s *Streams of Thought* series, the Roots\' frontman links with producer Sean C for a fiery display of the sharp lyricism that consistently keeps the rapper in conversations about the greats. He\'s joined by a star-studded cast that includes Killer Mike and Pusha T (the charged “Good Morning”) and ScHoolboy Q (the sinister “Steak Um”) and pleasantly surprising cameos from indie rockers Portugal. The Man alongside Portland rapper and singer The Last Artful, Dodgr. *Streams of Thought, Vol. 3* strikes a balance between disparate sounds and modes with ease—whether in political screeds or in personal confessions, soul, hip-hop, and tinges of rock congeal for a collection that feels at once immediate and requiring repeated listening. Black Thought takes aim at systems and institutions as well as mentalities that keep those who look like him in a perpetual state of war and survival, and true to the reputation he\'s earned, no one gets out unscathed.

6.9 / 10

On the third volume in his solo series, Black Thought once again demonstrates the power of his dense, winding freestyles and stretches into new, more vulnerable territory.

7 / 10

The veteran US rapper is on fire, with invective that meets the present moment

4.1 / 5

Black Thought - Streams of Thought, Vol. 3: Cane and Abel review: The new grit.