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Resurrections: Past, Present and Future

reviewed by Andree Farias
Sounds like … David Banner, Lil Jon, Bone Crusher, Eightball & MJG, GRITS, and other emcees representing the Dirty South. At a glance … If you want an introduction to Pettidee or Christian "crunk" hip-hop in general, Resurrections is a good primer.Track Listing I'm a Vet
The Bands Up
Dope Boy
I Can't (feat. Leon Timbo)
Throw Ya Hands Up
Static
Uh! Oh! (feat. Jason Eskridge)
No Wed, No Bed (feat. LadyLike)
We Ain't Scared
Blood Shed
My Life
From the Heart / Soul Food
All Alone (feat. Phoebe)
Choppin' Blades (PZilla Mix)

For all the parents afraid to pick up a Pettidee album for their kids, intimidated by the guy's image, don't worry—the brother's all right. Despite the rapper's insistence to display his gold-plated grills in nearly all of his album photography, the southern veteran has been making positive, constructive hip-hop for more than a decade. His credentials in Christian rap are extensive: he has rolled deep with GRITS for years, produced for a number of budding hip-hop acts, and contributed to albums by DJ Maj, 4th Avenue Jones and Antonio Neal.

But flashy dental work and Christian hip-hop associations aren't—or shouldn't be—Pettidee's main identity marks. Long before it was trendy, the emcee was championing the cause of southern hip-hop—not so much the cerebral kind perpetrated by OutKast, Goodie Mob and early GRITS, but more the carefree, fun-loving style that later became known as "crunk." Lil Jon, Ludacris, and T.I. brought it to the mainstream at the turn of the millennium. Pettidee was keeping pace all along … minus the sleaze, of course.

If you haven't been following his career, then Resurrections: Past, Present and Future is for you. In this retrospective of sorts, Pettidee brings back to life a few of his most important anthems while offering a slew of new ones and giving a sneak peek at where he's heading. Everything the rapper stands for is here: his full-throated growl, bass-heavy party beats, and a passion for redeeming the streets to the cause of Christ.

The rapper wastes no time in asserting his place in the crunk pantheon, delivering three of his most ferocious tracks to date ("I'm a Vet," "The Bands Up," "Dope Boy"). Fashion may get in the way of function more at times, but the attitude and who's-boss lapses give way to enough moments of faith and reflection ("I Can't," "Static," "All Alone," "Soul Food") to keep things in perspective. This in-your-face approach is Resurrections' strongest suit, as well as a testament to Pettidee's distinctive style of music and ministry.

© Andree Farias, subject to licensing agreement with Christianity Today International. All rights reserved. Click for reprint information.