‘Between Me and the World,’ M1’s new album

Review by Apollonia Jordan

M1 of the revolutionary hip hop empire Dead Prez has done it again with some conscious and political lyrics to feed the soul of the people. “Between Me and the World” is produced by none other than the talented Italian producer Bonnot and is filled with an array of political soul food, which will keep you full from start to finish.

M1 begins the album with a fire song titled, “Number One with a Bullet,” featuring Prodigy. He begins by proclaiming: “I’m about to spit some real shit, been holding up my tongue for a lil bit. G’shit … Better yet … Army G shit … Y’all be acting like ya never did see shit.”

His rhymes dictate his plans for the streets and the birth of an album that will definitely change the direction of hip hop. M1 is cognizant of the fact that the people who listen to hip hop are being neglected. They’re starving for knowledge and he’s letting them know he has some lyrical gumbo cooking and he’s about to stir the pot with this one.

“Tobacco Inc.” is another song that educates the community on the capitalist interests of the tobacco industry and the poison that it brings not only into the community but into his own family. M1 talks about how his mother has a lung disease but still decides to smoke cigarettes.

This song resonates well with me because the cycle of tobacco consumption has also been an issue in three generations of my family. Big momma smoked, momma, so of course I smoked. However, three years ago, I decided to break that vicious cycle and quit cold turkey. The tobacco industry is killing our communities, and it’s time to put an end to this destruction.

The album-titled song “Between Me and the World” concludes the album. Here, M1 dedicates to his daughter his continuous fight and commitment to surviving and thriving in a world where all odds are against the Black man and communities of color, who are being killed unjustly. “I got my hands up … don’t shoot.” “Between Me and The World” is an album that will inspire and educate.

Bay Area journalist and longtime Bay View writer Apollonia Jordan can be reached at apollonia@sfbayviewnews.wpenginepowered.com.