A few thoughts on Braille’s Weapon Aid

I’ve had Braille’s Weapon Aid for a few weeks, but just really started to hear it.

It has a somber-but-hopeful mood which is surprising, yet expected, from a follower of Jesus who has experienced a mass of emotional turmoil the past few years.

Braille has spoken publicly about his father’s death, his painful divorce, moving from state to state, and caring for his young daughter. Add in the demise of his Hip Hop is Music company and the public diss from a former labelmate and you’ve got a justifiable recipe for depression. Still, his lyrics convey an air of ultimate trust and rescue through Christ the King.

They process the concerns of a “Blessed Man,” admit periods of doubt, darkness, and defeat, but never lash out. Instead, Braille seems to seize the opportunity for self-examination.

On record, betrayal never leads to bitterness. This is the route we wish RedCloud would have taken.

Weapon Aid is heart-sleeve hip hop in the emotional vein of Kanye’s 808’s & Heartbreak. I’m guessing that five to ten years from now we’ll look back on this dark period in Christian hip hop and say that this album was a healing catharsis for us all.

Must listens:

• Complexicated
• Shoeless Joe
• Revenge (The Right Way)
• Surgical

Available online now at iTunes, The Bus-Shop, Sphere of Hip Hop, and other outlets.