The Calling

iTunes Review

A Brooklyn native with a long pedigree in the game, Sha Stimuli got into hip-hop through his older brother Lord Digga and made his debut at age 14 on Masta Ace's Slaughtahouse album back in 1993. Ten years later, he began releasing an onslaught of popular mixtapes, including Let Me Show You the Way, Follow My Lead, and Switch Sides. He's spent some time on major labels, toured internationally, and gotten tons of press over the last decade, but he’s never really blown up. On The Calling, he hopes to outdo his last effort, Unsung Vol. 1: The Garden of Eden. Here he enlists a gang of new, largely unknown producers (Big Fraze, DJ Pain 1, GZ Beats, Trakhouse Productions, etc.) to set the tone for his wordy and highly personal lyricism. Smart and interesting wordplay dominates, as he explores the concept of "keepin’ it real" ("The Realist"), educating the next generation ("The Awakening"), and comparing himself to Tupac ("Brenda's Baby"). Definitely a solid effort from a talented emcee.