Lynch By Inch: Suicide Note

In 2003, hip-hop purists complained that rap had eaten itself and that its superstars had betrayed the craft of rhyming for money. In fact, the purists were just looking in the wrong place. Over a long and persistent career, Brotha Lynch Hung had remained true to his hometown of Sacramento. While he was often relegated to the novelty category of “horrorcore” by the hip-hop establishment, Lynch by Inch: Suicide Note proved that he's a master of traditional rhymecraft. His expertise is demonstrated on “Spydie’s Birth,” “I Went From,” and “Reachin’ for Fame”: autobiographical songs delivered with a precision and cleverness that rivals Eminem at his sharpest. The best thing about Lynch is that he maintained a high level of respect for his technique without succumbing to the hoary idealism that mars many “true school” rappers. He's fearsome on the mic but unafraid to delve into the macabre landscapes of “Bleeding House Mystery” and “Death Dance.” For all his old-school skills, his signature is still his imagination.