Former
Disposable Hero of Hiphoprisy Michael Franti takes his ideas even further with his debut record, covering a wide range of topics addressing the social conditions not only relevant to the African-American community, but to society in general. Immediate comparisons to other artists such as
A Tribe Called Quest and
Arrested Development are inevitable. They were all socially conscious and chose to have a message in their music, an angle decidedly different from the other two avenues of hip-hop of the time that focused on either gangster material or good-time, mindless commercial fodder. With a dark, brooding voice that could easily place him as the heir to
Isaac Hayes or
Barry White,
Home greatly stressed consciousness and social thought over material value, but not at the expense of cheapening any other aspect of production. The whole vibe brought forth by employing a live band and backing singers easily paved the way for many nu-soul artists who continue to seek this path of influence. In the annals of hip-hop history,
Home is an essential cornerstone to bringing socially conscious soul music and hip-hop close together. ~ Rob Theakston