BWW CD Reviews: Cazwell's HARD 2 B FRESH Makes Fresh Look Easy

It's finally here! Today, Cazwell's third studio album, HARD 2 B FRESH, dropped. If you're a fan of Cazwell, you've been anticipating this album since November 8, 2011 when his single "Unzip Me," a collaboration with Peaches, was released. If you're not familiar with Cazwell, this album is a great introduction to him as an artist. Ranging in styles from house and electronica to rap and dance, Cazwell's HARD 2 B FRESH is 100% a contemporary hip-hop album that sounds like it was recorded in the early 1990s. #ThrowbackTuesday, anyone?

Lyrically, Cazwell's HARD 2 B FRESH is intelligent, albeit raunchy, and chock full of clever puns and well-constructed rhymes. The only thing keeping his raps from being "mainstream," if you will, is that his raps are often layered with homosexual and bisexual themes. As an artist, Cazwell falls under the homo hop umbrella, a genre that was birthed in the 1990s as an underground movement that "places identity at the center of production" (Tim'm T. West, "Homo Hop is dead, Queer hip hop is the real deal" 429 Magazine, March 11, 2013). Yet, no matter how you identity sexually, you may surprised how universally appealing Cazwell's lyrics on HARD 2 B FRESH can be. Sex, sexuality, dancing like one has good credit, #selfie culture, and taking ownership of one's own identity are not strictly LGBTQ issues. No matter how you identify, you may be a person who has had a date request that you take him or her to your mom's house for dinner (which is the hook of "Rice & Beans"). Essentially, if dance infused hip-hop is something you enjoy, Cazwell's HARD 2 B FRESH deserves to be a part of your music collection.

Additionally, we all hate buying albums that we only know maybe one or two songs on. That is not an issue with Cazwell's HARD 2 B FRESH. The catchy, beat laden "Unzip Me" has had people dancing to it for almost three years already. The bass beats, hook, and tongue-in-cheek lyrics of "Rice & Beans" have been entertaining us since June 12, 2012. "Guess What?," a pulsating and energetic collaboration with Luciana, was initially released on June 18, 2013. The smooth, hit jam (slightly reminiscent of Daft Punk's "Get Lucky") "No Selfie Control" first appeared on October 25, 2013. On January 28, 2014 Cazwell's "Hellen Keller," a cheeky and swagger-filled collaboration with Manila Luzon that features Roxy & Richie Beretta, found us dancing to and quoting the song. With a sublime old-school beat and throwback video, Cazwell treated his fans to "Sprung" on June 26, 2014. Lastly, before the album fully dropped, Cazwell's infectious and dance inducing single "Dance Like You Got Good Credit," featuring Cherie Lily, became the inescapable earworm that leaves listeners grinning from ear to ear.

Other standouts on Cazwell's HARD 2 B FRESH album include the funky and fun "Don't Get It Twisted," featuring Nicky Da B and Dai Burger. This track will have you dancing instantly, and don't be surprised if you find yourself singing, "Don't get it twisted" over and over. The beats of "I Blocked Your Number," featuring Richie Beretta and Roxy, instantly catch the attention of listeners, and the rest of the song perfectly satisfies. Like Nicki Minaj's "Did It On Em," sometimes you just need a rage-filled, anger-motivated song to make you feel empowered. The Latin-infused dance track "¡Spicy!" is sure to get your hips swaying and feet moving. It's impossible not to dance to this song. The closing track, "What's the T?," featuring Cherie Lily and guest starring Alyssa Edwards, deserves to be blasted over dance floors and is sure to have fans of Ru Paul's Drag Race addicted to this deliciously sickening jam.

It may be hard to be fresh, but Cazwell and his collaborators don't show it. This rollicking album may be geared to a more LGBTQ audience, but I feel certain that HARD 2 B FRESH has mainstream appeal too. Oozing with sexual lyrics that actually show keen wit, fresh and infectious beats, memorable hooks, and a collection of songs that just make listeners feel good, HARD 2 B FRESH is the type of album people are thirsting for.

Peace Bisquit released Cazwell's HARD 2 B FRESH digitally on September 30, 2014. The album can be purchased from iTunes and Amazon. For more information about Cazwell, check out http://cazwell.com. Also, be sure to follow Cazwell on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.

If you're in New York City, be sure to join Cazwell on October 2 for his album release party at Ritz Bar & Lounge, 369 West 46th Street, New York City, New York 10026. Doors open at 10:00 p.m., and Cazwell performs at 1:00 a.m.

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