Review – The Ambassador – The Chop Chop

[ ART | MUSIC | KNOWLEDGE| HEALTH ]

Written by Rob Target

Yo let’s embark on this album called “The Chop Chop”. Huh? Yep it’s called ……. “The Chop Chop”. Named by one of the most recognized figures in Holy Hip Hop today. Hailed from one of the most long lasting crews of Christian Hip Hop The Cross Movement. I can go on and on about there lengthy legacy. They’re a great brand that the Lord has blessed with many loyal followers. This is the third installment from the solo artist The Ambassador. He is the vessel used by the Lord Jesus to bring us this album “The Chop Chop.” The album starts out with the song “The Opener.” Ambassador tells the listener that his mission is to build them up. A semi rock feel reintroduces one of the pavement layers of Christian Hip Hop. It also introduces him to folks who don’t know who he is. If you don’t know, in the hearts of many Christian Hip Hop purist, he is the equivalent to L.L. Cool J.. He is in fact one of the original Christian Hip Hop pioneers and can still can put it down and will surprise you at any given moment. When you take memorable albums like Christology and The Thesis then mix in 2008 Hip Hop flavor and a war with Craig G Lewis the only thing you can do is come out with a album that is your best work to date. I will make one point clear, any review you read will not do this album any justice. Why do I say this? Simple, this album has too many sides to analyze (without writing a 80 page report). Ambassador comes with many styles, word play, rhyme patterns, and metaphors that will make a rap legend like Rakim rethink his faith. Deuce puts all the theology you would expect from a Cross Movement project into this album. This album appeals to the rap fan and the Bible researcher. As a solo artist The Ambassador has transformed himself to reach a wide variety of lost sheep. Check out the hit “Gimme Dat” this proves that at anytime Amba could have easily used his talents to make secular hit music. However, the hits are only for the Holy God Jesus Christ. “Gimme Dat” has a T-pain’ish chorus and is fitted with a beat that will get er’body dancing the shoulder lean. Ambassador also switches up on “The Day I Met U” produced by Tony Stone. A smooth song where Deuce reveals his background. This song tells the story of his life from birth, teen years, and when he encountered truth (God). This is where he states “Something Happened”. The hook is a sing-a-long and you would never have guessed Amba is singing it. WORD? Then, there is “The Cost” one of the best songs that ever came out the soul of The Ambassador. The song displays Ambassador telling the believer that this walk is just that; a cost. It makes the clear point that Jesus and Christianity is not to be taken as a pie in the sky lifestyle. On a side note, fans of the early Cross Movement would never think the Ambassador would be on a track like this. It works well, the Anthony Hamilton like hook and groove makes you zone in on the lyrics and hook below. You start off as a enemy/ hostile to the true God/ Spirit moving gently/ drops a set of new eyes/ everything new fresh to death like ooh aahh / you are/ fresh off God’s lot like a new car/ but just like new cars/ quickly start to depreciate/ you quickly face hardships you are to appreciate/ we need to make it clear/down here there it’s no piece of cake/ but the tears are going to fade to pay we see the gate you told me I was lost you told me I was brought but you never spoke about The Cost you always told me all about what it cost God given but you never told me the cost me to live it you told me I’m living you told me I’m forgiven you told me in the sky it’s a ribbon you told me about the fly place I would go to I wish you would’ve told me all the heck i would go thru There are disappointments on “The Chop Chop”: The biggest one is Da T.R.U.T.H.’s verse on the song “Love & Grace”. it was short lived and will leave you feeling totally cheated out of a great cameo. There are other small things that put a dent in the armor of this project. For instance, a couple of the hooks sound a little dated. Having such loyal followers of Cross Movement Records and the new breed of listeners, Ambassador has a hard juggling act to do. Not only keeping the loyal fans, but reaching out to new sheep. Most of the time he has great success. But there are a few glitches in The Chop Chop that confuse you on what his aim is musically. Speaking of guest spots, there are a few familiar names you will see and a few you will not. You will not see any of the other three members from the Cross movement crew. Not only that, if you are looking for “The Chop Chop” cypha track, don’t. There isn’t one on this album. But what you will see is Reach Records‘ Lecrae and Trip Lee holding it down on “Checking For My God” and “Checking For My God Remix”. This is a south track that will have Reach Record fans pleased. Also, the guest who was simply amazing is Stephen The Levite. Peep the track “Talk Alot” as Stephen spits ……”I know you’d rather be entertained/ this is the illest stuff to ever enter your brain/“. He was right; His verbal sermon was one of the illest verses. If you only download one song make sure is it “JESUS”. This is song has it all, exalting Jesus and pointing the listener to the cross. Christian Hip Hop at it’s best. “The Chop Chop From Milk to Meat” is really that. A review of the music isn’t enough but the meat of the words from this album is what you need to digest. So go get your Bible and then pick this album up. Release Date: September 23, 2008 Record Label: Cross Movement Records Track Listing 1. The Opener 2. The Chop Chop 3. Checkin’ for My God Remix ft. Lecrae & Trip Lee 4. The Chop Chop Defined (Interlude) 5. Gimme Dat! 6. JESUS 7. Talk A Lot ft. Stephen the Levite 8. Listen Up 9. Hardcore 10. Hope Man 11. Theology of Brokenness (Interlude) 12. The Cost 13. The Day I Met U 14. Love & Grace ft. J.R. & Da’ T.R.U.T.H. 15. Whatchu Goin’ Do? 16. The Ambassador’s Appeal (Interlude) 17. Deeper BONUS TRACKS Checkin’ For My God ft. Lecrae Glory & Praise ft. J5 the Prophet