IAMOMNI

Think global. Stay nimble and flexible; in many cases, too much muscle will just slow you down. Anticipate the moves of those around you as well as your own. Maintain discipline in all situations, personal and political. In this world of disintegrating borders and overnight kingpins, the enemy has blended into the populace, and a bigger army just makes for a bigger target. So it is with impeccable timing that West Coast emcee and progressive thinker Omni presents Ninja Art: Hand & Mind Control, in which he enlists the time-honored principles of the ancient warrior to navigate today’s brave new world.

A collaboration album with DMC champ DJ Grazzhoppa of Belgium behind the boards, Grazz lays down a patchwork of chrome-plated, futuristic boom-bap which runs the gamut from hardcore hip-hop to slinky soul even to dancehall, without once sacrificing the headnod. Straight-ahead bass ‘n drum knockers like “Freedom”, and “Surprise Attack” featuring MC Mello of the UK keep the b-boys rocking, while sweeping, string-laden pieces like “London Lives” and “Castles”, which he laces with a dazzling display of the vicious scratch technique which has made him world-famous, keep the drama level high.

Omni keeps his face covered and his mic hot throughout the whole record, taking his spotless flow to new heights of rhythm and swing on tracks like “Power Of The Chi” featuring the mighty Motion Man as well as Milx of Omni’s BLX crew, and the songs “Vibrations” and “Fade Away”, where he effortlessly applies the philosophy of discipline above all to women and fame, respectively. But it is on the epic “Raindrops” that Omni achieves the highlight of the album and possibly his career so far, as he pleads guilty for the world’s sins – and his own – at the foot of cruel fate, as stormy violins rise and swell over cavernous drums and a positively haunted female chorus line from vocalist Monique Harcum. Ninja Art: Hand & Mind Control is a musical handbook on surviving and striving in the new millennium, where everyone is alone and nothing is guaranteed.

TRACK LIST

1. Panjux
2. Hide the dope
3. Shadows featuring Motion Man, Sklim Milx
4. Vibrations
5. Better than most
6. Castles featuring Blade
7. Raindrops featuring Monique Harcum
8. Jumpin around featuring Mr.Jamalski
9. Suprise attack featuring Mc Mell'O'
10. In the city
11. London lives
12. Fade away featuring Monique Harcum
13. Cop this featuring Speaque Ezie,Pee Gonzalez
14. Freedom
15. Hide the dope remix
16. Shadows remix featuring Motion Man, Sklim Milx
17. Fade away remix featuring Monique Harcum
18. Raindrops remix featuring Monique Harcum

All tracks produced & mixed by Dj Grazzhoppa
Except 04,07 produced by Mixmonstermenno
Mastered by Malice
Pictures by DVL
Sleeve design by Bue