The OakA

View Original

Taking a Deeper Look at Parris Chariz’s New Album, Take You To Parris

As a fan of Parris for only about 3 years now, I wasn’t there for the rapper’s 2018 and 2013 albums, In My Weakness and 2045– the two albums I hear about most from his fans. Of course I’ve went back and listened and they were worth the time, but going back to listen never gives you the full vision like you get from listening in the moment. In this review, we break down some different aspects of the album.

Wordplay

Don’t get me wrong, P still put his usual touch of metaphors in this album, but not as much as he usually does. I feel like his goal was more so to tell his stories, which he did well. Sometimes the story is more important than lyrical display, but songs like samPson and I Can’t Let Up display his wordplay ability.

Storytelling

I feel like I learned a lot about Parris Chariz through this album. We’ve interviewed him before in 2021, so I knew a few things about him from that, but one conversation never tells the whole story. The Christian hip hop artist did a great job explaining his strife and putting his soul into this project.

Production

I don’t have much to say about the production– it just sounds good when you listen through. I love the transitions between songs.

Features

There are no bad features, but a few could have went a little harder, in my opinion. 1k Phew went absolutely nuts on his verse on Dirty Floors and gave me a little bit of a NBA Youngboy vibe at first. Steph Simon never disappoints.

Creativity

The album starting with “What Is Free?” and ending with “Stay Free!” is a dope touch. The storytelling is fire and and literally takes you into Parris Chariz the human being. The cover art is amazing. The production is soulful. A very creative album.

Overall, I was surprised at the vulnerability in Take You To Parris as he addresses near-death experiences, falling out with his dad and dealing with mental issues like anxiety. Taking these moments into consideration, Parris ties them back to his strong belief in God, knowing He is the reason Parris was able to “make it out these cycles.”