Another beast from North Carolina emerges.
Following the powerful debut of Rain910, another of North Carolina’s elite emcees step up to the plate. T-top hits the streets with Bear Witness II. What rock I was under when Bear Witness I dropped I don’t know. The freestyle Friday champ most notably went viral for his 3rd vs Sno drops Bear Witness II. Appearances seem quite limited on this project. T-top shares bars with King Mel, Kronik, fellow North Carolinians Shyst Vadar, Rain910, and Brizz Rawsteen.
T-top starts the album with “Destruction”. The song starts with someone chanting “please help me to understand lord, I’m trying to make it as a man lord.” The Park Lyfe general takes you down memory lane where you see how the trap really took its toll on T-top. Lots of real life bars; not too much wordplay. One line that did stand out was when Top said “It might not make sense to you how I had a basement filled up with attics(Addicts).” The tone for this album is already set; lots of dopeboy talk, lots of hood experiences, betrayal, hoes, and trapping’.
As a new artist, T-top shows he can really write with the best of them. Thinking feat. Chris Mills is a song that can ignite PTSD for someone from the trap. Song is too real. Can’t you tell is a song that boasts how Bizzy’s team get money and the hardships that come along with it. Very dope track. Used to is my favorite song on the album. The collar of Rain910, T-top, Shyst, Acashondeck, make for a dope trunk banger. Grammy has a very dope trap beat and Top does great riding the beat and can easily be played in a club or a turn-up. Nothing to Something has a real grimy hood vibe; Needs to be used for Respect Life or Money and Violence. *HINT! Wooda Black batting clean-up on the song. Shoutout to that man.
When I saw Brizz and Top on the same track, I had so much hope for this track since it features two of NC’s best battle rappers. Brizz runs anchor on the song and completely wrecks this track. The aggression and passion made this verse one of my favorites on the project. The Come Up has a soundtrack vibe to it and ABSOLUTELY love it. If you been in the streets and need a lic, then you can identify with this song. Its cinematic. Anytime you see someone struggling and needs to make money, this song comes to mind. AGAIN *HINT, Money and Violence Boom P., Cloud 9! Make it happen.* We reach the end of Bear Witness 2 with Benjamin; the outro has a very orchestrated and classy beat. Love the piano. T-top raps telling you how people envy his success but still true to what he is. Something we all go through at one time or another.
Overall, GREAT PROJECT! As a first time listener I will say I have to get Bear Witness I and stay looking out for future music and battles. Go get BWII on iTunes now. Don’t miss out on this. Do it for Park Lyfe, North Carolina; most of all For The Culture
-Eugene Landers
