Serengeti – C.A.R.
Posted by GK Limcangco 
Score: 7.8/10.0
Anticon
Serengeti
Emerging from the underground hip-hop scene of the Windy City, David Cohn a.k.a Serengeti has put Chicago on the map with his unique brand of rap music. Revolutionizing hip-hop by exploring different genres and evading the norm of mainstream hip-hop, Serengeti showed plenty of promise early on in his 10-year career. In his new full-length album C.A.R., on which he collaborates with two of Anitcon’s producers Jel and Odd Noscam, this Chicago rapper proves his artistic/creative cred once again.
Brimming with old school sensibilities with scratches abound, C.A.R. is full of playful beats and sullen lyrical stories reminiscent of early Beck. Its album cover epitomizes its contents – pensive and relaxed. Delivering his 11 tracks with a lazy drawl and a distinctive, laid-back swagger, Seregenti has a massive stoner appeal that is easily digestible.
“Geti Life” uses a simple rhyme scheme that flows smoothly, making the complex looks easy. “Is this a case of the grass is greener or is it more fresh?/That’s harsh, like drowning in a sticky marsh/All your skeleton’s in veil, /Man, this life was dark, like Gargamel,/The only saving grace was that he did a song with El,” Cohn raps on the track. The longest song on the album at 4:09, “Go Dancin” is the perfect marriage of hip-hop and electronica. The funk-laden “Amnesia” with its crafty lyrics is a confirmation of this MC’s skills in wordplay. The slow guitar riffs of “Uncle Traum” makes it a melancholic closing track, fading out to end the album.
C.A.R. lacks that catchy chorus that sticks to your head like a piece of chewed bubblegum under your shoe. This album is everything that most mainstream hip-hop isn’t and what C.A.R. offers is something deeper than cars, women or money. Geti’s humourous laments about life’s unfortunate situations and failed relationships on top of his quirky beats are both original and charming. What Serengeti has a created with C.A.R. is an enjoyable 28-minute-ride on his diverse beatscape that will affect you in a subliminal way.
