Behind the name BLK Odyssy is Texas rapper and producer Jewan Elcock. Diamonds & Freaks is his first full-length album. It is a concept album divided into four parts about desire and faith that, with a selection of rap, spoken word and phone calls by Elcock and Keisha Plum (
Griselda), among others, can be listened to as a radio play. In terms of depth, too, it sometimes rubs up against the conceptual
… and highly personal arts of Kendrick Lamar. The strength of Diamonds & Freaks, however, is primarily the smoothe and funky 70s vibe that hangs over the album. Elcock got help with this from bassist and proven funk rocker Bootsy Collins, whose familiar bass sound and voice set the tone for a pleasant odyssey of hip-hop, funk, jazz and R&B. (MR)more
