Deeper Than Dirt

Dirt Platoon brings the raw, gritty sound of Baltimore's inner city streets to life on "Deeper Than Dirt". The album begins with an ode to the street the two brothers grew up on, "Pennsylvania Ave.", which draws a stamp of approval from street legend and "American Gangster" Melvin Williams, who makes a cameo in the video. The album continues with aggressive, in-your-face lyrics, as Dirt Platoon stake their claim in hip-hop and prove that "these other rappers is garbage, the match-ups be uneven". These multi-dimensional emcees also show that they aren't all brute on tracks like "Raven" and "Long Time No C" as they discuss interactions and relationships with the opposite sex. Whether it's a braggadocious rap, an introspective look into the gutter, or a song for the ladies, Dirt Platoon's superb lyrical ability and robust metaphors prove to be a testament to songwriting. "Deeper Than Dirt" carries a cohesive, addictive sound that rings true with hip-hop purists and true schoolers. Tom Delay puts his masterful touch on a number of beats including "1st Hand" and "Almighty", bringing a lively, unique feel to the album. Philly producer Fel Sweentenberg also makes his mark on the project, providing bass heavy bangers for songs like "Rapid Fire" and "E.L.A.I.N.E.". The entire record paints a picture how hip-hop was, and how it should be, as the producers take sample chops to another level and the emcees use modern techniques of emceeing to talk about their lives and to just plain spit. With features only from L.E.G.A.C.Y., Brake Fast emcee Mic Brown and vocalist Kate Nudo, Dirt Platoon show their lyrical prowess in 12 tracks of the type of music that many hip-hop artists aspire to make. "Deeper Than Dirt" is that unfiltered, uncut, hip-hop from the heart.