9th Wonder Dream Merchant Volume 2 cover art large

Words By T.C.

Respect for Hip-Hop producers is at an all-time high. Rappers use production credits to market their albums and in exchange, producers charge obscene amounts that would possibly make The Donald cringe. After seeing his stock rise after crafting melodic backdrops for Grammy magnets such as Jay-Z, Mary J. Blige, and Destiny’s Child, North Carolina’s premier beatsmith 9th Wonder saw his plate get filled up to Thanksgiving dinner proportions, that ultimately led to him parting ways with his signature group Little Brother. Utilizing his extensive Rolodex, the Southern crate digger arranges some interesting collaborations to deliver hot 16′s over his soul driven soundbeds on his latest compilation Dream Merchant Vol. 2. The stellar compilation favors neither the lyricism nor the production but it successfully convenes to find a mutual middle ground.

With the sampled soul that keeps the traditional sounds of the underground alive, several cuts on Dream Merchant… display nostalgic vibes that equate to dope product. Unsigned All-Star Skyzoo makes his presence felt on his two appearances with memorable performances on the head-nodding duet with Bad Boy alum Ness on “Let It Bang” and the anthem “Merchant Of Dreams”. 9th effectively infuses gospel melodies with scratches of Snoop Dogg to allow Saigon and Joe Scudda to get lyrically religious on “Saved”, and proceeds to slow the tempo so Big Remo The Great and Novej can “Reminisce” with ease. Calling in the bigger names prove to be worth the effort as well as Mos Def, Jean Grae, and Memphis Bleek show love to their place of origin on “Brooklyn In My Mind,” and Little Brother harbor no bad feelings as they shake things up on the spaced out “No Time To Chill.”

Unfortunately, Mr. Monotony shows up for a considerable portion of the LP to spoil some of the fun. Uniting the Midwest sounds like a good idea on paper, but uninspired verses on “The Last Time” make for a lukewarm offering. On “The Milky Lowa,” Camp Lo pop up to deliver a goofier rendition of LL Cool J’s “Milky Cereal” and drowsy production on tracks like “I Wanna,” and “Backlash” merely serve as album filler. Clocking in at over an hour without a superior moment is a bit disappointing but rather expected as far as compilations go.

While the anti-mainstream and battle rhymes run thin during the journey through 9th Wonder’s liquid production, the music is a triumph in its own right. Dream Merchant Vol. 2 is a throwback to the days where rappers made music for theirselves without the pressure of selling records. Although a little more flavor would have been welcomed, 9th Wonder shows he has the recipe to make good Hip-Hop music.

Read our Smoking Sessions With 9th Wonder

Listen To Selected Tracks From Dream Merchant 2

“The Last Time” Featuring Royce 5’9, Naledge & Vandalyzm

“Ya Hear Me” Featuring Jozee Mo (Bonus Track)

“Sunday” Featuring Keisha Shontelle and Chaundon

Dream Merchant 2 Selected Tracks