Home Milwaukee's Finest Sparkus Garvey – Infinite Space & Time (Mixtape Review)

Sparkus Garvey – Infinite Space & Time (Mixtape Review)

by Miracle

avatars-000074264428-v9cyug-t500x500(Photo By Sound Cloud)

Sparkus Garvey is a Milwaukee based artist known for his free spirited personality, conscious rhymes, and sometimes controversial point of view. He is affiliated with local faction Black Religion and just recently added radio show host to his resume. A couple of weeks ago, the emcee released a new mixtape called Infinite Space & Time. It has a total of twelve tracks and guest appearances from the likes of: AR Wesley, MC New Kid, and Lorde Fr3dd33. Discover what some of The Illixer‘s favorite selections are after the break.

“Broken Pictures”

The production here is subdued. The tame foundation, graceful secondary elements, serene tempo, and downcast vibe are fittingly matched. The hook comes into play towards the end of the number. It surprisingly features Sparkus flexing his vocal abilities. He brings some nice sounding melodies to the table with emotional lyrics. There is only one verse but it makes an impact. Sparkus utilizes his token flow, reflective wordplay, and honest heartfelt rhymes. He goes through the motions of breaking down a relationship that went wrong. Some lines worth mentioning are: “Breaking pictures on the wall after dark. No more movie nights. No more walks in the park. How can we be torn apart girl? What a shame. Turns out she was pulling down the Hanes of a player in the game. But see I was doing me so I really can’t complain. Guess it was karma. Getting calls from yo mama. Telling me that she wish I’d work it out with her daughter. Cause I began to grow on her like land to a farmer.” Those are some rich opening bars right there. Overall, this is a likable and solid record.

“Mr. Bill Collector”

The production here is smooth. The consistent base, stylish background ingredients, wavy rhythm, and traditional vibe result in a pleasing blend. The hook is winning. The delivery has a charming melody to it and the lyrics are authentic. The verses are real. Sparkus contributes an engaging flow, satisfactory wordplay, and relatable rhymes. He flawlessly speaks on the universal struggle of dealing with financial hardships. Observe as he spits: “Another day, another bill. I swear to God I’m stressing out. Type of s–t that make you wanna pull a weapon out and go to a bank to see what that money ’bout. Now hold on wait a minute, gotta let my brain reroute. Can’t get caught up in the flesh. That’s what gets you in the mess. So these feelings I express are just the chapters of the test that we pass or we fail to survive this living hell. Now I train everyday. So I never get derailed.” One has to appreciate the significance of those bars right there. All in all, this is an enlightening effort as well as a site favorite.

“Rebels vs. Slaves”

The production here is fresh. The filling bass, complimentary musical details, refined pace, and poised vibe come together agreeably. The hook is of a five star nature. The delivery is orderly and the lyrics are dope. They serve as a great call to do some self evaluating: “Don’t tell me that you’re different cause we all one in the same. Let me open up your head. Let me see what’s in your brain. I don’t care about your past. I don’t need to know your name. Are ya rolling with the rebels or the slaves to the game?” The weight of those words is striking. The verses are just as potent. Sparkus exhibits a suitable flow,  expert wordplay, and highbrow rhymes. He conveys the very essence of what he’s all about. A handful of lines that are not to be missed include: “Hanging with them heavyweights. We don’t get high. N—a we levitate. We don’t get by. N—a we demonstrate. Anything to keep some damn food on the dinner plate. Rappers turn crooks when they on the book. See ’em face to face, they don’t even look. So predictable read ’em like a book. Too scared to think outside the box. Man we got ’em shook. These radio emcees belong in the dirt. At first they rap that tough s–t. Then they wear a skirt. Red alert, red alert, red alert. Take away your manhood that’s how the plan works.” The rawness within those bars makes for a compelling way to end the track. As whole, this is without question a standout on the tape.

**My Two Cents: I had a brief exchange with Sparkus about regretting not having him on the site sooner. His response was that he was okay with that because he’d rather wait until he had a project out that was truly worthy. Infinite Space & Time is definitely that project. The production was great though it could have been a little more diversified. And the content was stellar. Sparkus not only entertains but he comes with a purpose as well and that is something that has been severely lacking from Hip-Hop for a while now. This tape is a must hear and certainly ranks in as one of the best collectives to drop so far in 2014. -MinM

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