Mark J "An Everyday World" Review

Mark J is a rapping force of nature, period. He thunders on many of the tracks on "An Everyday World" using the sheer urgency in his vocals and his vivid lyrics to grab your soul for the Lord. He is not afraid to take on challenging topics, such as the atrocities in Darfur or the horrors of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. His storytelling ability puts you on the front lines of these events and makes you want to take action.

Pairing many of these tracks with techno/electronica beats normally uncommon in mainstream Christian or secular hip-hop gives these songs a strong, hypnotic feel. The best way I can describe this album is that it must reflect what it feels like for the character Chuck of the NBC TV show of the same name to "flash" on the secrets of the Intersect. (For those who don't watch Chuck, his brain was implanted with a collection of digitized U.S. government secrets known as the Intersect that he involuntarily accesses through "flashing," which happens when he sees something that triggers a flood of these secrets to be unleashed in his mind.) Only in the case of Mark J's latest work, we are getting glimpses of the lives of sinners, the lives of saints, where we have been both sinner and saint in our own lives, and how to transcend sin.

The title track is especially spiritually evocative. Leading the album, it sets the tone that Mark J will not merely tolerate you listening to his album; he wants to get you moving for Christ, whether it's in bettering yourself as a person or bettering the world. He implores you to ponder what goes through the minds of suicide bombers, Ugandans killing people "at a generational rate," prostitutes and absentee parents, among others. He concludes by asking "What goes through the mind of a Christian who hears all this and does nothing, not even pray?"

"Apathy" makes use of AutoTune vocals with a chaotic blend of rock and electronica to jolt us out of feelings of spiritual indifference. "Let It Go," which speaks on forgiveness, is a great marriage of electro-rock and hip-hop made more compelling by Mark J's stream-of-consciousness lyricism on this song, which is reminiscent of secular hipster rapper Theophilus London.

"Merge," the lead track, and "Hold This Line" are more traditional hip-hop songs that still convey Mark J's passion for change in our lives. "I'm a soldier, ain't got time for silly games," he says on "Merge," with a chorus that simply loudly states "merge how you live and what you believe." The battle imagery continues on "Hold the Line": "Too many saints retreatin', left speechless/Lord Jesus we need more soldiers in the breeches," Mark J proclaims.

As mentioned earlier, Mark J also channels energy toward improving conditions in Darfur. In "Darfur Dreams," he begs for action against the regime in this country that has caused so much death and pain. "This is not just a song, this is my heart and soul," he confesses. He drops names of three organizations for us to check out for getting involved: EvangelicalsforDarfur.com, SaveDarfur.com, and StandNow.org.

Though the bulk of the songs are frenetic calls to action, Mark J proves he can also speak softly and carry a big stick. "Baby U Don't Love Me," which employs the sped-up soul sample sound of early Kanye West, encourages troubled married couples to stay together. Mark J recalls turbulence in his own union to show that problems can be overcome: "Muhammad vs. Frazier, it was major in the ring--not physically, but verbally." "Vanity Fair" urbanizes elevator music and pairs it with a woman speaking in French from Ecclesiastes 1 to steer people away from lives of materialism. (Shout-out to my husband, who reps French-speaking Ivory Coast, for the translation!) And "Love Thing," which Mark J describes as a "summertime joint," is a beautiful love letter to God.

Mark J is, in many ways, the Christian version of Chuck D. Mark J knows we're living in the Terrordome, with sin all around to pull us off our paths. Like the powerful Public Enemy frontman at his peak in the 80s and early 90s, Mark J uses brash music and vocals to get his message across. His ultimate goal is to build his own Bomb Squad of energized Christians to wreak havoc on the devil.

Other notable tracks: "Enmity," "Dating or Married," "Ride Out," "Look to the Sky"