Review: Shaun Boothe - Waiting Room

We've been waiting on Shaun Boothe's album for a long time.  The artist formerly known as Rikoshay spoke with TO STATE OF MIND .COM on the set of his "Poor Boy" video way back in 2009 and told us to look out for his upcoming joint.  It is fittingly titled Waiting Room and is now available for download on his website shaunboothe.com.

The opening track "Still Waiting" sets the tone for Shaun's choice of beats with soul samples that come out cool and not dated or thrown into that early-2000s-Kanye West basket.  "Do It For You" featuring Kim Davis has another sexy soul sample accompanied by honest raps ("They say there's no money in music/So you should know I do it for you") and Kim Davis' amazing voice.

The remix to "Let Me Go," which is probably Shaun's biggest hit, features Atlanta rapper CyHi Da Prince, a signee to Kanye West's G.O.O.D. Music.  Cyhi definitely adds to the track, with its familiar bass and soulfully-voiced hook that has taken the video [below] into the MuchMusic Countdown's Top 20.

"One Side" has a bassy, electronica-y beat and kicks off with, of course, a soul sample.  Shaun waxes philosophical about women not trusting him in relationships and the real-life struggles of his people: "My cousin needs a job and she says 'Shaun I'm 'bout to give up/I got all these degrees, but all they see is a nigga."

"Phone Sex" is a sexy, hilarious and then even sexier concept song set to a sample of "Sounds Like a Love Song" by Bobby Glenn (the same sample used in Jay-Z's "Song Cry").  "1 2 3" is Boothe's newest single and features another ATL rapper, STS.  They both work the beat's loud, jazzy horns and bassy bottom, Shaun rapping that he's enrolled in "the school of hard knocks/full course load," and STS claiming "Boothe got next/I got now/Beat like this, I'ma wear that out."

"Get A Job" is another concept song, Boothe's specialty, this time about all the different careers he chose hip-hop over, and "Headline" is a deeply honest joint about the pain and yearning on the road to hip-hop success or failure.  Waiting Room also features past Shaun Boothe hits "Music Man," "Poor Boy (Remix)" featuring Kardinal Offishall and "Concepts" featuring Talib Kweli.

Shaun Boothe's first official full-length release is enjoyable but real, polished but not glossy. It has a cohesive sound, with soul-and-bass beats that flow together well, none feeling out of place.  He's not hyper-lyrical, but his rhymes are solid, his flow rides any beat nicely and he says cool shit like "Oh, your shoes match your shirt/That's fire/My actions match my words/That's fly-er," and real shit like "my emotions are mixed, not mastered."

Waiting Room is definitely required listening in your car speakers on any Toronto street, in your headphones on those new TTC subways and out of the boombox at your summer barbecue.

Shaun Boothe - Let Me Go (Official Video)