Album Review: "Tales From the Sick" by Prozak

Prozak is a hard MC to categorize. Picture, if you will, a rapper with the dark sensibilities of Tech N9ne, the twisted sense of humor of Eminem, the social/political awareness of Chuck D or Ice Cube, and a clear, deep-voiced, versatile flow all his own. Now imagine all of that skill packed into a rapper who tends to appeal to the Juggalo fanbase. Stay with me here, if you're not a Juggalo or a fan of them. Prozak is from Saginaw, Michigan; not far from Detroit, the homebase for the Juggalos' kings, the Insane Clown Posse. This combined with his dark sensibilities and affiliation both with Tech N9ne's Strange Music imprint and ICP's producer Mike E. Clark (Prozak and Clark had released an earlier album as the supergroup Project: Deadman, named Self Inflicted) make Prozak seem like a glorified Psychopathic Records artist himself, and alas: Psychopathic's Twiztid, Blaze, and even the Clowns themselves appear on this album. But please, don't tune out just yet: you might just miss out on a talented, compelling MC with a fantastic debut album.

1. The Hitchcock of HipHop
The album opens with a skit that sets up the album as a twisted horror film, as the viewers are locked into the theater and the voice emanating from the screen (Krizz Kaliko's voice) warps into a demonic-sounding warning to the listener to "refrain from hurting yourselves or others during the agonizing reappraisal of your tortured and corporate-owned fragile human existence." At this point Prozak launches into a brief rap introducing himself as the "Hitchcock of Hip-Hop."
Instrumental rating: 4.0/5.0 Stabbing piano chords reminiscent of the infamous violin slashes of Hitchcock's own Psycho punctuate the track, along with the screams of the theater's viewers in the background. Produced by Seven.
Lyrical rating: 4.0/5.0 A brief but telling introduction to the MC paints a picture of another Detroit horrorcore rapper, but wait...there's a lot more to it than that...

2. Fun n' Games
The first full track is not at all unlike what someone might expect from Slim Shady LP-era Eminem. The outlandish threats and boasts of violence and drugs are not only reminiscent of Em's lyrics, but those that are not fans of the Detroit MC because of his nasal voice and delivery might find Prozak's voice to their liking, with his deep baritone and clear diction, and very competent flow.
Instrumental rating: 3.5/5.0 The violin and synth melody do not rank this beat among the criminally slept-on Seven's best work, but they provide a decent background for Prozak to spit his venom. Produced by Seven.
Lyrical rating: 4.0/5.0 Prozak's delivery stands out on this track, with his very emotive voice and cleverly psychotic rhymes making for an enjoyable, if not outstanding track. This is not the kind of track that will set Prozak apart from his Juggalo brethren in terms of subject matter, but it does allow his lyrical ability to shine.

3. Keep Grindin' (feat. Krizz Kaliko)
Prozak clarifies his intentions as an MC on this track, explaining his multifaceted lyrical content and his will to create dope music that means something to his listeners. His lyrics shine over the rock-tinged instrumental, as he spits dope rhyme patterns like "some say I'm heaven-sent, behold this miracle/exquisite and spiritual, yeah, wicked and lyrical/the source of my material, okay now here we go/sometimes I wake up screaming and even if I'm breathing/I'm pleading for reasons to believe, 'is this Prozak or Steven?', I'm wheezing." Krizz Kaliko's soulful hook is the icing on the cake.
Instrumental rating: 4.0/5.0 The electric guitars and organ chords of the beat are a great sound, but the beat loops and tends to be a bit repetitive, holding it back from a higher rating. Produced by Legendary Traxster.
Lyrical rating: 4.5/5.0 Prozak's rhyme schemes are in top form here as he spits bars for days on the verses of the track. A lot of it is braggadocio, but the rhymes are excellently written.

4. Scapegoat
The track opens with some dope scratching and samples of news reports that describe the lyrics of Prozak and MCs of his ilk as problematic to society with their dark content. Prozak comes in afterward to defend his content and his freedom of speech, explaining a sentiment that has existed for as long as hip-hop has that the powers that be wish to use hip-hop music as a "scapegoat" for societal ills. Again, Prozak's lyrics shine here: "I'm the reason heathens quit breathing by bleeding from lesions/leading these demons to killing seasons and leave 'em grieving."
Instrumental rating: 4.0/5.0 The sinister strings that resonate under the lyrics erupt periodically into blasts of low brass, with minimalistic percussion. Produced by Seven.
Lyrical rating: 4.5/5.0 Prozak's commentary on this continued insistence of blaming hip-hop for society's woes is again reminiscent of Eminem, but with a less sarcastic, taunting overtone.

5. Go To Hell
Prozak continues to lash out at haters, this time simply demanding that, "if it's hate that you speak, GO TO HELL!" It's not one of the stronger tracks on the album, as its short, angry verses and simple, shouted hook don't quite demonstrate the depth of Prozak's wrath as other tracks on the album would.
Instrumental rating: 4.0/5.0 A low electric guitar riff and eerie background vocals are the canvas for Prozak's lyrical lashing. Produced by Seven.
Lyrical rating: 3.5/5.0 Not a bad lyrical outing, but a little too short and understated considering where a track like this from an MC like this could have gone.

6. Crossing Over
A dark, foreboding track concerning a friend who attempts suicide, but not from the point of view one might expect. Rather than mourning his friend's condition, Prozak instead attacks the track from the perspective of the loved ones that were hurt by the victim's actions, turning the tables as to whom the victim really is. The pained survivors see the action as selfish and hurtful and although they are saddened by what their friend has become, their disappointment and anger are the emphasis of the track.
Instrumental rating: 4.5/5.0 The atmospheric instrumental is built of a slow harpsichord, heavy drums, and dark, minor key piano chords. Produced by Seven.
Lyrical rating: 4.5/5.0 The angry mood of the subject is somewhat startling, but understandable as the listener takes in the backstory of the suicidal person from the point of view of the angered friend who must deal with the aftermath of his friend's actions.

7. It Was You (Intro)
The intro to "It Was You" is a rather unsettling old man singing a haunting song: "It was you, shadows on the wall/it was you, skeletons out of my closet gonna fall..." The quiet plucking of the acoustic guitar, blowing of the wind, and frail voice of the old man are reminiscent of Ralph Stanley's take on "O Death" from the O Brother Where Art Thou? soundtrack, and set up the next track well.
Instrumental rating: 4.0/5.0 The simple guitar picking and wind blowing are extremely minimalistic, but that's precisely what a track like this needs. Produced by Robert Bradley.
Lyrical rating: 4.0/5.0 It's a very brief track that is probably meant to be seen more as an interlude than a proper song, but is good enough to be treated as such.

8. It Was You (feat. Krizz Kaliko)
Prozak flows slowly, speaking in a low monotone, as he paints a vivid picture of being haunted by a mysterious man who seems to appear as a pariah, accompanying great traumas in Prozak's life, including the death of his uncle. Prozak describes the chilling thoughts and visions that the man inspires: "I looked into his eyes, and I saw genocide/I seen world wars, and mass suicides..." Krizz Kaliko's chorus vocals are equally tense as he seems to confirm the notion that this man represents all that is evil.
Instrumental rating: 4.5/5.0 Harps and guitar drive this track, as the minimalistic percussion brings to mind a very slow march tempo and provide the spine-tingling backdrop for the rhymes. Produced by Seven.
Lyrical rating: 4.5/5.0 Prozak's lyrics are extremely visual, and a little unsettling in their haunting description of the man, who is implied very heavily to be the embodiment of evil, perhaps even the devil himself.

9. Why??? (feat. Tech N9ne and Twista)
Prozak increases the tempo of his flow on this track (though not at all to the level of his guests) to wonder how it's possible that humans can commit so much evil, and also how our God can continue to love us in spite of it. "God, tell me what has now became of us/shame on us for becoming a race so dangerous," Prozak spits, before Tech N9ne and Twista attack with their signature rapid fire flows to echo Prozak's sentiments. Twista steals the show with his verse: "If you try to be a rapper on a level of a devil you get buried with a shovel and get cast out of heaven so in hell we can still wind up."
Instrumental rating: 4.0/5.0 A slow beat with a sad piano loop and a ticking hi-hat add intensity to the grim lyrics. Produced by Gee.
Lyrical rating: 4.0/5.0 All three MCs come correct on this track, although in my opinion the subject matter would be better handled with slower flows. Some of the urgency gets lost in Tech N9ne and Twista's triple-time spitting, although the lyrics of all three are great.

10. Run Away (feat. Krizz Kaliko and Tech N9ne)
All three rappers are on a hardcore tip on this track, spitting battle rhymes laced with none-too-subtle threats. Krizz Kaliko starts the track off with a decent verse, but is shown up completely by Tech N9ne and especially Prozak, who this time actually does use a rapid flow and some of his best battle rhymes.
Instrumental rating: 4.0/5.0 A distorted piano loop gives this a menacing sound; it's a little repetitive but suits the track. Produced by Gee.
Lyrical rating: 4.0/5.0 Tech N9ne and Prozak have excellent verses on here, while Krizz Kaliko's verse is pretty solid itself, in addition to his reggae-tinged hook.

11. Corporate Genocide
This section of the album has a handful of songs with heavy, hard-rock beats that are reminiscent of Prozak's work with Project: Deadman. This is also where Prozak gets the most political, so the heavy, bombastic instrumentals complement his rhymes in the same way the Bomb Squad complemented Public Enemy, making the lyrics come across even more urgent and aggressive. This particular track is a rant against the corporations that Prozak asserts run the world, oppressing those under them, and contributing to death in their own way. "Is it democracy or blatant hypocrisy?/using fear of captivity to fulfill financial prophecy/you're not a citizen man, you're just a customer."
Instrumental rating: 4.5/5.0 The heavy guitars suit Prozak's fiery intensity perfectly. Produced by Robert Rebeck.
Lyrical rating: 4.5/5.0 Political commentary is something it turns out Prozak does very well.

12. Bombs Away
Another heavy rock track, this time lashing out against war, particularly the wars in the Middle East, saying it's "all for black gold, the Texas tea." Prozak is even more aggressive in his delivery on this song than on "Corporate Genocide," passionately railing against the government's thirst for oil.
Instrumental rating: 4.0/5.0 Another heavy rock track. The guitars and heavy drums are great, but there are parts of the song where it seems to almost drown out Prozak's voice, even over his shouted rhymes. Produced by Robert Rebeck.
Lyrical rating: 4.5/5.0 The passion and anger Prozak feels are evident in his delivery, and while this blood-for-oil accusation is by no means an original sentiment, Prozak's lyrics are well-informed and well-written.

13. Holy War (feat. Mike E. Clark)
A track that was previously heard on the bonus disc accompanying Tech N9ne's Everready: The Religion and credited to Project: Deadman, Prozak again has words to say about the Middle East war, this time adding that the basis for the war in Iraq, in addition to oil, is over religion. Mike E. Clark's verse elaborates on this: "Put us to war, you make us kill all in the name of God/but worry about an unborn fetus, I think that's fucking odd/Can't understand how people still use religion to justify all their evils."
Instrumental rating: 4.5/5.0 Say what you will about ICP, but their production has always been excellent, and that comes courtesy of Clark, who laces this track with crunching guitars and some dope scratching, right down to the distorted guitar at the end playing the National Anthem. Produced by Mike E. Clark.
Lyrical rating: 4.5/5.0 The lyrics here are intense right down to the hook, and only Clark's brief verse prevent it from a perfect rating; it's not bad but suffice to say he's a producer, not a rapper.

14. It's Too Late Now
Prozak stays on his political bent, touching on a number of topics, from these holy wars from the previous tracks, to the ineptitude of the government and the Bush administration, the breaks that are given to the wealthy, and the fact that "the only time we come together is adds on Myspace." (Hey, Myspace wasn't quite dead yet in 2008 when this dropped.)
Instrumental rating: 4.0/5.0 The guitar riff rolls on through the song, driving the uptempo track and punctuating it with Beastie Boys-esque scratching on the hook. Produced by Mike E. Clark.
Lyrical rating: 4.5/5.0 Prozak attacks the first verse with a rapid, shouted flow and dense lyrical patterns, before reeling it in on the second verse and speaking in an all-too-calm monotone; the contrast is rather attention-grabbing and underscores the lyrical rampage of the first verse.

15. Insane (feat. Insane Clown Posse)
Well, here it is, the track that I warned you non-Juggalos was here. If your pride won't allow you to listen, you're actually missing out on a decent track; I'll never argue that the Clowns are great MCs, but it's an entertaining track that makes an effort to, as Violent J puts it at the end, "decipher insanity: when one cannot control himself any longer, who takes over that control?" It doesn't really do that at all, other than on the hook where Violent J muses, "Who controls the insane? It's automatic," but allows the three to kick some surreal, wild lyrics.
Instrumental rating: 4.5/5.0 A deep bass groove with subtle guitar chords dotting the track, and a vocal sample that repeats "insane!" on the hook. Produced by Mike E. Clark.
Lyrical rating: 3.5/5.0 Prozak spits a great verse to kick off the track, while ICP kick their usual "wicked shit." Neither of them craft particularly dope verses or flow all that well, but in this case their weakness becomes a strength: their spastic deliveries highlight their stated insanity (Shaggy 2 Dope: "I don't know where insanity begins and sanity ends/I don't know where insanity begins and sanity EAAAHUGGGHH!")

16. Bodies Fall (feat. Blaze, Kutt Calhoun, R.O.C., and Tech N9ne)
A posse cut that features great verses from every MC, although Blaze lags behind the others just a bit. Kutt Calhoun, R.O.C., Blaze, Tech N9ne, and finally Prozak hit the track in that order, describing how they "make bodies fall."
Instrumental rating: 4.0/5.0 Dramatic strings and more crunching guitars drive this uptempo track. Produced by Robert Rebeck.
Lyrical rating: 3.5/5.0 The verses are all good, but each MC only gets eight bars, and packing five MCs into a track that barely tops three minutes long makes it hard to really get into any of the verses.

17. Psycho, Psycho, Psycho! (feat. Bizarre and King Gordy)
Prozak enlists fellow psychopaths Bizarre and King Gordy to come down from Detroit and drop some sadistic verses. Bizarre's clumsy, thick-tongued flow doesn't prevent him from dropping one-liners like "This ain't Michael Jackson but I'm molesting children!" that will either make you laugh or shake your head (or both). King Gordy makes full use of the undeniable chemistry he has with both Bizarre and Prozak for a solid verse: "I'm an animal caged, an addict who's been at it for days," he spits before Prozak comes on to show them both up. Prozak's verse isn't a simple psychotic outing like the other two, as he speaks from the point of view of a suicide bomber who only signed up because they promised to take care of his family if he died for his country, although he makes it clear from the opening bars that he is still mentally unstable: "I'm a depressed, manic borderline schizophrenic/with plastic explosives strapped to my chest but don't panic!"
Instrumental rating: 3.5/5.0 Driven by its upbeat strings, it sets a decent but unspectacular backdrop for the three MCs' wild lyrics. Produced by Gee.
Lyrical rating: 3.5/5.0 None of the verses are phenomenal in themselves, but the chemistry between the three MCs and their wild lyrics is evident and it's a decent track.

18. Drugs
A vivid first-person description of the power of drugs and the powerlessness of addiction, with a hook resembling the chants of the flying monkeys in The Wizard of Oz: "Oh-e-oh-e-oh, drugs they take control, oh-e-oh-e-oh, drugs they are my soul." Prozak weaves a stunningly visual tale of what it's like to be an addict and the progression from gateway and designer drugs like ecstasy to the overwhelming power of cocaine and meth.
Instrumental rating: 4.0/5.0 Violin stabs and the march tempo of the track make for a hypnotic beat that draws the listener into Prozak's story. Produced by Seven.
Lyrical rating: 4.5/5.0 Prozak sounds like he may be speaking with at least some degree of experience on this romp through the mind of an addict, and it's a compelling cautionary track.

19. Living In the Fog (feat. Cypress Hill)
For a track about weed, it only makes sense that the monarchs of marijuana themselves, Cypress Hill, would join in, especially since the rock-tinged sensibilities of Prozak's music are right up their alley anyway. B Real, Sen Dog, and Prozak each tell about how they started smoking, from their first experience to becoming pros. The track feels in every way like a Cypress Hill track and the chemistry between the three is notable as well.
Instrumental rating: 4.5/5.0 An odd instrumental with an offbeat marimba riff mixed with subtle saxophone notes and tambourine; the bizarre backdrop is difficult to categorize or describe but couldn't be more perfect for the track. Produced by Seven.
Lyrical rating: 4.0/5.0 B Real's verse is vintage B Real, and while Sen Dog doesn't keep up really well with the other two, his verse fits in well too. Prozak's verse steals the show, telling a story of how his friends dared him to smoke in a cemetery for the first time and his paranoia conjured up some terrifying images.

20. Fading... (feat. Krizz Kaliko and Twiztid)
One of the best tracks on the album, Prozak is joined by underrated Insane Clown Posse proteges Twiztid for some dark, tense verses. Twiztid may share in some of ICP's shtick, including the clown appearance and macabre lyrics, but they are actually decent rappers and capable of real depth, as this track shows. Prozak once again crafts the best verse, displaying a range of emotion from sadness to anger: "Gonna desecrate you, never did trust you/that's okay that you don't like us, 'cause we fucking hate you!" Prozak rants before giving way to a notably dope verse from Monoxide. Possibly the best part about this song, though, is Krizz Kaliko's haunting hook: "It's darkness where I am, don't know where I am, I'm slowly fading..."
Instrumental rating: 5.0/5.0 The mournful piano and strings convey a sense of utter hopelessness. Produced by Gee.
Lyrical rating: 5.0/5.0 All three MCs are in top form and Krizz Kaliko's pained hook is once again the missing piece of the puzzle that catapults this track to perfection.

21. Good Enough (feat. Mike E. Clark)

"Fading..." gives way to "Good Enough," an excellent one-two punch of the two best songs on the album. Prozak is at his most sensitive and poignant here, as he raps on the second verse: "They say one's eyes become the windows of the soul/and they say the past will follow you wherever you may go/sometimes you gotta run away, forget the past and take control/or you'll never find peace of mind, or the perfect place to grow..." I could quote this entire verse as it stands as arguably the best on the album, but suffice to say if this review hasn't encouraged you yet to check out a Prozak track, I strongly encourage you to try this one on for size.
Instrumental rating: 5.0/5.0 A simplistic beat driven by its slow percussion, deep bass groove and simple guitar riff, the beauty is in the minimalism. Produced by Mike E. Clark.
Lyrical rating: 5.0/5.0 Prozak's lyrics are introspective and poignant, and Clark's simple chorus ("I'm sorry, ooh/I wasn't good enough for you") strikes the perfect chord, and it's a track most can relate to.

22. Under the Rain (feat. Krizz Kaliko)
"Under the Rain" puts Prozak and Krizz Kaliko back on a social commentary bent, as Krizz spits a great verse about the ills of violence and racism, and Prozak goes on a bent against racism that somehow falls just short of its mark, as it isn't quite as potent as some of his commentary on the early portions of the album. The gospel-tinged chorus ties it all together: "we living up under the rain, can't stop it from falling down," and closes the album out with a message of how far we still have to come as a people.
Instrumental rating: 4.0/5.0 Another piano-driven track that has a bit of a gospel feel, building into guitar chords for the chorus sung by Kaliko and Gina McFadden. Produced by Seven.
Lyrical rating: 4.0/5.0 Krizz's verse is great and while Prozak's doesn't quite hit as hard as earlier tracks on the album, he packs some thought-inspiring bars nonetheless: "They say that Martin Luther King, he had a dream/but a dream is all it was because race still comes between us/we never did learn, watching the crosses burn/in his grave he would toss and turn." It ends the album on a high note.

Composite ratings
Instrumental rating: 4.2/5.0
Lyrical rating: 4.2/5.0
Composite rating: 4.2/5.0
Prozak crafts an excellent debut album that can appeal to a wide variety of fans. It's far from a horrorcore album, though Prozak frequently cites Esham, Insane Clown Posse, and Brotha Lynch Hung as inspirations, and is something that fans of real hip-hop and even rock should be able to get into, as it's relatively free of filler and even the weaker tracks are completely listenable. The album sets itself up to be a horror movie on wax, but it becomes clear that the only monsters Prozak sees are society itself. An excellent ride through the mind of the Hitchcock of Hip-Hop that I highly recommend to any fan of good hip-hop.