Then What Happened

The resolutely cerebral and defiantly old-school J-Live has been quietly releasing solid full lengths since the late nineties, but on earlier efforts the MC’s always impressive rhymes and considerable skills as a turntablist were sometimes obscured by undistinguished production and meandering run times, betraying the lack of a strong editorial hand. Though J-Live’s fifth album *Then What Happened* clocks in at just under an hour it nonetheless feels like his most tightly focused effort, due in large part to a stellar roster of guest producers — promising up and comers like Odisee and Kenny Keys whose subtle Pete Rock inspired productions stand up well alongside the work of veterans like DJ Jazzy Jeff and Evil Dee of Black Moon. Evil Dee’s concise and haunting “Be No Slave” sets a dusty Marva Whitney loop against a plaintive horn line and is perhaps the strongest piece here, featuring some of J-Live’s most compelling lyrics. Truthfully J-Live has always been a consistently impressive lyricist but *Then What Happened* buttresses the words with production worthy of his considerable talents.