Fashawn released his first album in 2009, it was widely praised as Fashawn is one of those dudes who has plenty of stories to tell as well as a great talent to tell those stories with a beat behind him. From Fresno, California a place where not many people emerge from let alone a widely recognised rhyme slayer, Fashawn recently released his second album. It's been a while in between drinks for young F-A.

Back in 2009 my mind was elsewhere, so for me this was my introduction to Fashawn. The buzz surrounding the release of 'The Ecology' forced me to take note, learning that Fashawn was releasing this album via Mass Appeal courtesy of the one and only Nas only peaked my interest.

"This isn't a revolution, it's evolution" Guess Who's Back

From the first track 'Guess Who's Back' you're made well aware that Fashawn can spit and deserves his spot among hip hop's elite, holding things down for the hip hop purest. The opening song not only serves as a great introduction for someone who is listening to Fashawn for the first time, but it also points to so much more than fresh bars. The message, the pain, the desire and the insecurities are all there, while they feature much heavily on specific songs, the opening song gives you a little taste.

Fashawn doesn't borrow much from other artists, nor does he rely on crazy wordplay or silky flow. His style is completely unique and the end product when Fashawn spits is you digging deeper to figure out how what he said sounded so slick. Slick and descriptive, you're left with a vivid image of whatever topic he's rapping about and the vocabulary of Fashawn keeps every bar interesting.

Guess I'm at a crossroads
Lost hope and I lost quotes
My heart smokes for the fire that ya'll done provoked
For the disbelievers guess the game was missing the leader
Now they kissin' my sneakers, lipstick on my Adidas
Word to the reverend, I'm runnin' this shit like Russell
Simmons, the game is the scrimmage, I'm just strechin' my muscles
These blasphemous bastards done acid
Hazardous, had to just smash on they ass
With this classic shit, Fash

'Something To Believe In' also features Nas who starts his verse with a bar that only Nasty Nas can dish up - "Money getter 'til I'm a 1 percenter".

Fashawn walks along the emotional tightrope perfectly as songs like 'Higher' deals with a whole bunch of issues and gives you an insight in to the struggles and mindset of Fashawn. It's impossible to ignore the skill on offer here as Fashawn opens himself up, but does so in a way where absolutely nothing is lost musically. Whether it's the expectations of fans, constant underestimation and generally working like a mad man to make his dreams a reality, Fashawn shines when he's putting his heart on the pad. 

The same can be said for songs like 'Man Of The House' where Fashawn spits about having to grow up faster than any kid should have to thanks to his living situation. Or you can look at 'Mother' where Fashawn dedicates a song to his mummy who not only had to deal with drug addiction but also raising a family in poverty stricken Fresno. The dude has a freakish ability to tell stories and paint them vividly.

My favourite song where Fashawn reflects about the past few years which saw him deal with being one of the hottest young rappers, is 'Place To Go'. It's pure poetry and is equal parts an offering to allow you in to his mind as it is a song of hope and eagerly anticipating the future.

It's far from an album that makes you reflect and appreciate someone else's struggles, all those songs can double as jams to get you vibin' but there's also many chances for Fashawn to flex. 'Golden State Of Mind' features Dom Kennedy and harps back to some good old Westcoast g-funk as they pay homage to California. 'Letter F' is Fashawn spitting fire all over the track, same with 'Confess'

Behind the boards, Fashawn relies heavily on Exile who graces the album with nine examples of musical joy. To say that Fashawn raps over dope beats would be a huge understatement as the production is top shelf and there's so many little intricacies to go with a wide variety of sounds and patterns. The Alchemist, DJ Khalil, Quince Tones, Jo Caleb and Beewirks also jump in on a few tracks but they don't upset the rhythm or overall sound of the album. 

I can imagine trying to produce the perfect musical composition for Fashawn to rap over wouldn't be the easiest thing because he's got so much more to say than just hot bars. The production needs to either set the tone or ride alongside Fashawn on that specific emotional journey and on The Ecology it's a perfect marriage of great rapping and musical goodness.

My Bang Up Banger has got to be F.T.W. which as you probably know stands for fuck the world. Fashawn is far from predictable so it's not just your usual fuck the world anthem and while the opening track gives you a taste of what to expect, the last track perfectly wraps it all up.

What is it? It's a sensational rap album. Fashawn is skilled at telling stories, explaining situations and generally spitting fire but there's also the experiences that Fashawn has gained over the past few years since he rose to prominence. The Ecology is an album for the hip hop head, there's no real songs that are going to get your mates going 'oooooooh shit' but it will serve you well ... over and over again.