Mr. Lif, the hardworking Bostonian MC, drops a debut LP that playfully discloses in lyrical fashion his inner battle of whether or not to return to his nine-to-five job, but the long-overdue record practically guarantees he'll no longer need the day job. One of the working-class heroes signed to hip-hop indie Definitive Jux,
Liffy enjoyed a busy 2002, releasing the
Emergency Rations EP and appearing on several releases from the Jux camp.
I Phantom is slightly less politically aggressive than the EP in overall aesthetic, with blue-collar rhymes over hype, funky tracks with great production by
Fakts One,
DJ Hype,
Edan, and
Lif himself. The guest appearances on the mic by
Akrobatik, a fellow fledgling Bostonion,
Edan,
Aesop Rock,
El-P, and
Jean Grae make all the tracks quality and seal the deal on
Lif's breakthrough set.