On My Way To Church [PA]

Performer: Jim Jones
Artist: Cam'Ron; Juelz Santana; Chico DeBarge; Bizzie Bone; J.R. Writer; Bezel; T.I.; Bun B; Denise Weeks; Dr. Benjamin Chavis Muhammad
Producer: The Diplomats; Hand 2 Hand; Boola; Heatmakerz; Jim Jones
Distributor: E1 Distribution (USA)

Notes: Personnel: Jim Jones; Freekey Zekey, N.O.R.E., T.I., Lil' Flip, Cam'Ron, Juelz Santana, Bone Thugs-N-Harmony. With the name of an infamous cult leader, and religious undertones suffused throughout his raps, Jim Jones makes it hard not to expect something a bit sinister from his debut record. What transpires on 2004's ON MY WAY TO CHURCH holds to that promise, as unusual beats and schizophrenic rhymes ensue. Jones built his reputation as part of the Diplomats crew with Cam'Ron and Juelz Santana, but his record bears little resemblance to the solo albums of either artist. Like much hardcore rap, Jones's music derives inspiration from 1970s soul, but his sonic landscapes are much more complex than most, moving from idea to idea at breakneck speed. When his rhymes kick in, jumping from the usual stories of trying to survive in the ghetto to offbeat politics to his own brand of worship, the result is a wonderfully disorienting ride. The expected collaborations with everyone from his fellow Diplomats to T.I. are here, but then, to mix things up, there's the Latin-tinged "Spanish Fly" featuring Chico DeBarge in an oddly haunting vocal turn. ON MY WAY TO CHURCH showcases a wonderfully distorted mind; it's a dark, bizarre, and ultimately engaging record.

A true NYC success story, Jim Jones's ascent to a spot among rap's quickest minds and keenest ears by the late-`00s is almost breathtaking in its deliberateness. While hip-hop history is littered with label architects whose attempts to grab the mic were tributes to vain mediocrity, the mercurial Diplomats co-founder is not one of them. Jones waited until practically every other member of Harlem's Dipset crew (Cam'ron, Juelz Santana, etc.) had had his turn before unleashing his solo debut in 2004. By 2009's highly anticipated PRAY IV REIGN, Jones revealed himself as a versatile budding star, as comfortable dropping an auto-tuner heavy single like "Pop Champagne" as elegantly reimagining indie-synth-popsters MGMT's "Electric Feel."

Click Here for Shipping Options and Policies

Shipping or Dimension weight in pounds: 0.25