Artist: CageTitle: WeatherproofRating: 4 StarsReviewed by: DAllen
Ever since underground heads were blessed with “Agent Orange” and “Radiohead”, Cage has continued to thrive by blending his sinister style to hard beats. Known to his followers as ‘Alex the Worm King’ stemming from his days as a mental patient and lyrics containing dark fantasies, Cage has more eerie tales to deliver with his new EP, Weatherproof. With production greats J-Zone, RJD2, Mighty Mi, and others, this album does not disappoint. If you felt Movies for the Blind, then Weatherproof should be your next installment of Cage.
Cage lets listeners know who this album is for on “Summer in Hell”: “I know I’m speakin’ to less than 1% of the public, but this is for the people who copped movies and loved it.” Weatherproof is for Cage’s disciples that are familiar with the sex, drugs, and violence frequently found in his lyrics. Mighty Mi is behind the boards on this track, contributing production set with strings like a chase scene. Tame One appears on “Leak Bros.” sharing his stories with Cage involving leak over to a slow moving, head nodding beat. Camu Tao provides the beat and rhymes on the disturbing track, “Come to Daddy”. Cage puts on the gloves in the Sebb produced, “Haterama” to go after 7L and Esoteric. This threatening beat matches the evil lyrics needed for a good dis track. J-Zone does his version of “Too Much” with a heavy horn beat that sounds better than the original. Other tracks to check are the morbid “Fresh Out the Morgue” with a beat one would expect in talking about a morgue, RJD2’s “Weather People”, and “Underground Rapstar”. The tracks are all well produced and fused with Cage’s lyrics deliver a solid addition from the respected Weatherman associate.
Despite being only nine tracks, Eastern Conference fans will appreciate this album, as well as anyone who understands Cage. The album’s title is the underlying message-what ever mainstream says is hot will never affect his craft. Cage will not succumb to the Rolex rap on the radio. This album reinforces his attitude and will leave fans wanting more.