It’s been a while coming, but Dublin rapper Lethal Dialect has unveiled his third album, 1988. This mature, meticulously-crafted collection has been a real labour of love, both for the rapper and the album’s producer JackKnifeJ (not to be confused with Snow Patrol wing-man Jackknife Lee).
Opening with the sublime ‘School Dayz Are Over’, 1988 finds Lethal (aka 25-year-old Paulie Alwright) reflecting, as is his wont, on friendship, loyalty and staying true to yourself, while remaining completely focused on attaining his goal through hard work and discipline. An independent artist, the rapper’s disillusionment with the music industry is clear. “No management promotes my establishment/ The odds are stacked against me but I’ll gamble til I’m broke,” he rhymes on ‘Set You Free’.
JackKnifeJ’s laidback production complements the rapper’s reflective outlook; a case in point being the old-school flavour of ‘26 Laws’, the relaxed and summery ‘13 ‘Til Infinity’ and epic, heartfelt closer ‘Brave’, featuring Damien Dempsey.
In Irish rap, there may be “Younger heads the way they’re turned/ All skipping the queue” – but 1988 confirms Lethal Dialect is head and shoulders above the rest.
OUT NOW.