Cool Aide, Flavor Ade

Have you ever put a CD in your laptop or CD player and right before you hit play, asked yourself why?  Why do I really want to put this on?  I felt that exact feeling before putting on the latest from Cool Aide, “Flavor Ade”.  But with a sense of optimism, I hit the play button…and I sure am happy that I did.

Cool Aide, a refreshing hip-hop duo featuring MiC K!NG (f/k/a iCON the Mic King) and Chum (f/k/a Chum the Skrilla Guerilla),  now holds a permanent spot in my iTunes library.  In what will hopefully be the first of many releases by Cool Aide, “Flavor Ade” starts with “Snake Oil”, a track that wastes little time before hitting the ground running with a fun, upbeat feel…and even a mention of Cobra Commander!

“Gimme Some Sugar” starts with smooth guitar before breaking into the rhythm of a traditional hip-hop track.  The men of Cool Aide then make sure not to take themselves too seriously with the all-but-serious “I’m the Best Mayne”, a song that would fit right in place on a track list for EA Sports’ NBA Live.

My personal favorite, “About Time”, combines the energy essential to drive a hip-hop track.  What put this track above the rest for me was the incorporation of drums beating away throughout the song, replacing the sometimes-overused bass lines that make their way through rap and hip-hop.  Lead guitar featuring a Jimi Hendrix-like wah-wah pedal was the finishing touch for a song that left me thoroughly satisfied.

“Take Steps” is a great dance number that can be described in three words: fast, wordy, aggressive.  “Run For Your Life” ranked near the top as well, with a horn section that kept me interested and energized.  While somewhat repetitive, the catchy chorus and verses contained great lyrics, making that repetition less of an issue.

“Wordperfect” felt all-too generic when it started, but strong instrumental work brought this tune to life…definitely a song that got better as it went on.  “I’m All That in 2009” gave the boys another chance to show their sense of humor.  A reference made to Will Smith was all too ironic in a song that sounded like something Will Smith could have written once upon a time, that is if Will Smith was a good enough rapper to write such a tune, which he wasn’t.

“Kind of A Woman” brought solid energy, singing, and a great chorus—all in all a great way to finish up the album.

I found Cool Aide’s “Flavor Ade” to be refreshing, which can be hard to find in hip-hop these days. Here’s a tip: put in the CD, hit the play button.

Review By: Matt Simon

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