Trailblazin Ministries

Phanatik - Crime & Consequences

Written by LaRosa Johnson
Wednesday, January 16, 2008

Album Overview

One of my favorite emcees is undoubtedly the Phanatik. I've been a fan of his since his soft-spoken days on Heaven's Mentality and finally saw him come into his own with Holy Culture and his debut solo release The Incredible Walk. A quick witted lyricist who forces you to constantly go back and hit repeat to grab all the nuances that he leaves in his rhymes, Phanatik is attempting yet again to raise the bar. This time around, he has taken a look at the world around him and sees nothing but a place filled with crime and depravity, not giving a second thought to the consequences that might be reaped. With that mindset and a Biblical worldview, Phanatik sets out to let every member of the human race know that they have committed a crime and if they don't make some changes then they are going to face the consequence: eternal damnation. Hence the title of Brady's latest album: Crime & Consequences.

With a rather lengthy introduction you get the setting for this particular album: the world is a prison filled with 6.5+ billion people living in it as inmates, all serving life sentences as they await their punishment in death. But we are then given a glimpse of hope and how one entered the prison from the outside willingly allowing Himself to suffer and take our punishment. This album is the story of one who chose to accept this outsider's offer, and is now spending his remaining time in this world's prison telling other inmates about the offer that this outsider has made on their behalf. Crime & Consequences is the sworn courtroom testimony of one Brady Goodwin, aka the Phanatik.

What you get with this album is simple (yet so very complex). You get seventeen tracks of the most incredible lyricism that you will hear "North & South" of the "Mason Dixon." As you listen to Phanatik "Snitch" on the "Good & Bad" of this world, you'll hear about the "Top 10" crimes that put all of the earth's population behind bars, as well as the "Pyramid Scheme" that takes place in this prison system causing many to get "Burnt" by the fire. He doesn't just let up there though, as he wants you to also "Try Angles" that may change your point of view, such as "95 Degree Angles," which also gives you a lesson in mathematics. After a brief "Recess," Brady lets us know that he's "Ready to Go," but not before telling us that he's doing this all for the "Son's [Jesus'] Sake" and is attempting to "Show 'Em Off." Ultimately, you're left to "Work It Out" on your own and decide whether you've got "More to Give" and if you want to be "Grown & Set Free."

Minus some particularly less than desirable beats, this is a very solid project that is very heavy on the lyricism. Having had the album since its release, I still find myself constantly hitting rewind to catch all that Phanatik puts out there for the listener, and I'm still trying to dissect some of the songs and catch all of the weighty biblical truth. If lyricism is your thing, then this is definitely the album to pick up. Phanatik did his thing and definitely leaves you with a knowledge of what your crimes are and what the consequences are going to be... unless you decide to follow his advice.

Spiritual Significance

The spiritual significance of this album is easy: sin and its consequences. That is the entirety of the subject matter that is contained on this album. From start to finish, each track does one of two things: 1) it either points out the crimes that are being committed by all of mankind, or 2) it offers the one and only solution for being acquitted for these crimes. Unlike many of his secular counterparts who only give you one side of the story: the crime, or the consequences of their crimes; Phanatik, takes a different approach and gives you the Crime & Consequences, but from a purely biblical and spiritual perspective. For example, songs like "Snitch" and "Top 10" present the crimes against humanity ("Top 10" is a lyrical rundown of the Ten Commandments), while songs like "Good & Bad" and "Son's Sake" give you the clearest picture on how to repent and seek forgiveness for your crimes against a perfect and holy God.

Although the introduction is somewhat tedious to listen to on subsequent listens, it presents a very clear view of the situation at hand and the purpose as to why Brady chose to put the album together the way he did. From there, he carries out his theme to its conclusion and giving the listener the Biblical path for salvation. First, he shows them their sin and convinces them that they are indeed lawbreakers. Secondly, he lets them know what the outcome is going to be for their transgressions against God, which is eternal damnation in hell. Thirdly, he lets them know that with the bad news, there is good news, which is that they can be forgiven for their crimes against God. Fourthly, he gives them the gospel message and in a way that only Phanatik can deliver it. And finally, he helps them get on their way to living a Christian life that is free in Christ Jesus.

Quite honestly, what more could you ask for in a holy hip-hop album?

Topics Covered

Since we've already covered the heart of the subject matter, I'll make this a very quick list of the topics that are covered on Crime & Consequences:

• Giving the Law and making sin clear (Snitch, Top 10, 95 Degree Angles, Pyramid Scheme)
• Outcome of sin (Burnt, Good & Bad)
• The Gospel (Good & Bad, Try Angles, Son's Sake)
• Living the Christian Life (Grown & Set Free, Work It Out, Ready to Go, Show 'Em Off)

There are other topics discuss on the album too, but I'll let you go buy the album to find out what those are.

Key Tracks

Snitch, Top 10, 95 Degree Angles, Son's Sake, Snitch On