Cre8ive MC – Make Sure They Spell Your Name Right (Album Review)

Make Sure They Spell Your Name Right is the new ten-track record by New Jersey poet and rapper Cre8ive MC. The album opens with ‘MC’, a hyper-conscious song. The track’s self-awareness is evident on multiple levels: not only does the title celebrate the craft, but the persistent use of interview montages as choruses acts as a meta-textual device, consciously acknowledging the problems facing Hip Hop.

For starters, the first sampled interview features someone discussing their definition of rap and noting how many people don’t consider it to be art. The beat is pared down, featuring a kick here and a drum hit there. The concept of creativity is central, with Cre8ive MC rapping, ‘My creativity moves crowds’, while one sampled interview discusses the very subject. Ultimately, this is an anti-song in its format.

The beat is more adventurous on ‘I’ve Arrived’, and the rapper’s flow is energetic. The defiant refrain is, ‘Show me what I’m up against’. Although minimal, the song again uses a recorded interaction, where a patient is asked if they’re an artist. This is another track that is self-aware of the craft, with Cre8ive MC rapping about being a lyricist and facing challenges as a musician.

The song is marked by defiance, angst, and rage. The recorded interactions are both comical and cynical. While the rap is energetic, the clarity of the lyrics is the low point.

The beat is again pared down on ‘Talk’. This is another track that speaks directly to the MC craft. Cre8ive MC talks about coming onto a stage and ‘bustling through the gates’. He then spells out his name, following it up with the boast, ‘I’m an OG’.

Later he raps, ‘This is that beat’. At times, the delivery in the song is laidback but confident –  boastful and daring – as he raps about wanting to make people talk about him. However, the delivery sometimes shifts, gaining acceleration. The track closes out with the beat playing nicely, and an Eminem sample.

‘Both Sides’ follows. It’s a song with many introductions, if you will. Cre8ive MC spells out his name and then says, ‘That’s be me’. Again, the beat is pared down. The rapper then moves into a guidance mode, rapping, ‘Once you do something, you have to stand behind it / even when you think you can’t survive’.

John Reapa is featured on this song; in between the featured artist’s bars, Cre8ive MC spits a spoken line, which temporarily takes away the song’s tempo. While Cre8ive MC initially offers advice, the later guidance is more brutal, telling the person taking it that they put themselves in that position.

Up next is ‘Come Back Home Part 2’. The song speaks to a relationship or friendship gone wrong. The lyrical persona talks about how they wish they had never met them, even though they still think the person is ‘still special’.

Sound-wise, we get Cre8ive MC’s dry sound before the beat changes tack. The vocals are then taken over by a melancholic voice singing, ‘Come back home’.

‘Just a Phase’ follows, featuring understated instrumentation with bass, piano, and drum touches. When Cre8ive MC’s rap comes in, he’s in a meditative and heavy mood. Love is the central theme – specifically, a relationship that began on Tinder, with the pair getting to talking and knowing each other.

The flow is quick on ‘F. A. & L. S’. Cre8ive MC raps, ‘Gotta get paid / Gotta make my way /’. From these lines and others, the listener senses a person who is determined to push through obstacles to achieve financial success and excellence in other aspects of life.

‘Boiled Peanutz’ is one of those tracks with a laidback, soulful beat and flow. Lyrically, the song shifts focus entirely. It begins with an interview snippet where a man says that culture is shared over food.

Cre8ive MC continues the subject, rapping about how boiled peanuts are a southern delicacy. He’s consumed them all his life, and he’d ‘marry any girl who makes them for him’. It’s a slightly cheesy song, featuring details about the preparation and cooking of peanuts.

Drums go in a rapid fashion on the album’s title track. Here, we’re back to MC land. ‘Make sure they spell your name right’, we hear at the beginning, delivered in a speech-style vocal. The consequence of an incorrectly spelled name, we hear, is that people will think ‘they can get away with anything’.

Cre8ive MC charts his Hip Hop and MCing journey, including recording with The Sweatshop. He also reflects on his personality, stating that he is nice and polite.

‘The Product’ closes the album. Beat-wise, it’s minimal, featuring a kick and a piano key. Here, the rapper is selling his product: himself, his music, his craft, his passion, and his dedication. He vows he won’t sell himself short. It serves as the rapper’s manifesto.

SCORE/Excellent: This is an excellent album. It’s refreshing to listen to some conscious and laidback rap. However, not all songs maintain that relaxed feel. I particularly like when Cre8ive MC raps over a pared down beat and utilizes his slower flow.

Lyrical content could have benefitted from tackling more of life’s issues – going more conscious.

While Cre8ive MC frequently raps about himself and the craft – good stuff – we should always remember that ‘too much of a good thing’ saying.

Kudos, however, to the rapper/poet for rapping about boiled peanuts. It’s cheesy but real; there’s no scarcity of love music, but I’m sure you’d be hard pressed to find songs about peanuts.