By now, many visitor's, and Artists, will have heard of "Freedom*", even if it has been through curiosity in taking a look at the music videos on YouTube, or visits to Freedom's Official 'SoundCloud Page'. The fact that the 24-year-old Gipton Rapper of Leeds has graced the Internet since 2010, he has brought a somewhat lighter and yet, raw edge to 'Lyrical Verse'.

In this Exclusive 4x4 Review, we bring together both the sound and visual constructs that has brought "Freedom*" out of the shadows and for the first time, but certainly not the last, to project his essence and soul upon one hard-line platform. Reviewed by four 'Reviewers' of "The Dark Tower", for four times the strength, we bring you "Freedom*"...

The Looking Glass

Taking a jump into a more melodic overture in musical colourisation, the initial viola-piano intro brings together a clash of an almost ‘Hip-Hop’ calibration, while an invoked bassline brings the course lyrics to life with a crescendo of rhyming storytelling from ‘Freedom*’. Certainly a piece of work that has what would be otherwise called ‘Hardcore’, the track contains the spirited sense of ‘Related Conduct’, but adds its powerful message by chorus: Take A Look, Thru The Looking Glass Of Life… And certainly, by the structuring this work needs not explain the foundations, the build or the ending quotes which we are sure many people can relate to, whether in normal living standards, or through a more tainted pathway journey.

The Looking Glass has become something of a regular listening example of today’s most thirsty listeners of Rap – even hardcore dope sounds – where, for a long time the holding back of such styles and deliberations have subsequently failed to reach out and touch those points of contact in the listener’s ears. Where these previous tracks have failed to trigger the taste for more, it is with The Looking Glass we get a smooth mix of various freestyles, starting from the intro, through the melodic, almost trance-like backing sound, to the determined lyrical masterpiece that comes down onto a plateau of absolute awesome junctures and framework from ‘Freedom*’ himself.

Reviewed By Wendy Knight (The Dark Tower/THP)

Scum

Descending into a much deeper, darker and best intentional rap crescendo of both common status and association to the more connective descriptive track that most will admit they too can relate to themselves from this British performer. Scum uses the balanced degree of flow and charge to each and every word that emanates from what is initially believed to be that of a 'Hard Core Rap', and something that has been misgiven content in order to provoke the listener into an emotional response usually only associated with well established artists. All the same, what "Scum" delivers is a pre-hook that drags the listener into a fuelled track of anger at street level labelling, and yet, only by the end does it make it clear a message otherwise buried and never before heard; the ‘matter of fact’ lyrics into which ‘Freedom*’ breaks out into chorus filled agitated breath: I’ve Lived My Life In The Slums, You Won’t Believe How Far I’ve Come. People Have Looked Upon Me As Scum, Because Of All The Things I’ve Done… It is because of this break down that manages to split up the track, and by doing so, brings a fresh new approach in style to the performer’s credit.

From the initial intro, accompanying freestyle inserts enlighten this work, only to rest a decision from the listener whether or not to take the message on-board, or pass it off to a point where they see the creative variations’ in the music. Either way, it is "Scum" that many will find a most favourable addition to their playlist rundown.

Reviewed By MKDS (The Dark Tower)

Jack The Lad

There have been many acts that have taken a roll of the dice on their works, many who have in the same respects as “Freedom*”, a new Rapper from England, UK, who has taken on the one challenge most difficult to beat – and literally smashed it with leisurely precision. With “Jack The Lad”, our ears listen to ivory key jingles, a slow mish-mash reggae (almost) sweep beat, while lifting the entire track up is this rising chorus that has been favourable to the likes of “UB40” during the late ‘80’s and ‘90’s. Combined we become surrounded by one top class and brilliantly refined sound that can only be praised for what it is – Gold.

Lyrically, we are given the story – yes, a story – of Jack, who from childhood to youth has a string of problematic street credibility misadventures that spill over into his private life. Only when Jack’s run of hapless bad luck ends with his death do we learn of the continued heart-ache and pain that is echoed so frequently around in all cities and nations around the world. For this story, provided by seriously honest lyrics laid down by “Freedom*”, we are touched by the realities and realism which the track shares. To make this gel and bond more adaptable and, in many ways borne into the mind, is the frequency driven chorus that delivers a factual statement before pulling back with a drifted questionable alternative: You Don’t Understand Me, But if The Feeling Was Right You Might Comprehend Me… The off-the-cuff instigator that will have the ears pf the listeners pricking up, taking notice and, eventually calling attention to the entire power play.

All in all, what we are hearing is a localised 24-year-old Suburban Estate Rapper, who through a simplified method of experience – maybe – takes the lyrical stance of sharing his voice with the listeners. In doing this, however, what “Freedom*” fails to understand, is that the music and lyrics that he writes and performs is ballistically valid for a more mainstream position than where they are the moment – YouTube, SoundCloud, ReverbNation, etc., etc. – although, only a higher ranking build can be achieved, grabbed and accordingly endorsed.

Reviewed By Andrew Dobson (The Dark Tower/BackBeats)

Haters

“Ha, ha, ha, Guess Whose Back?” circumventing one of the most perturbing orchestrated sounds that we have ever heard, Freedom* brings together a clash of deep, dark and well stewed sounds, lyrics and theoretical body language from a track – though short – which has you listening with cautionary pleasure. At the same time his unique trait of rapping lyrical methodology instigates the right balance of statement before all round listening; as we have heard from previous tracks such as “Jack The Lad” and “Looking Glass”, this talented performer has created a main stream persona, raw edge combination to both music and lyrics, while at the very least embossing the real sense and feel to an otherwise string of hits often associated with the ‘Urban Underground’.

Watched by many as upcoming, seen by others as potentially – though unofficially – established, MSP consider ‘Freedom*’ as an act worthy of a recording contract, but all facts considered, it is this performer who has managed to acquire a large following in a short time, gained a respectful and connectable fan base that is only growing – the target audience being unlimited through a massive global community. And, given the right support, we estimate ‘Freedom*’ being one of the top rap acts of 2015, while soaring into 2016 with numerous new musical foundations that will place the 24-year-old from Leeds into his rightful place next to many of today’s best artists.

Reviewed By Peter Jefferson (The Dark Tower/Manchester Sound Parallel)

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