Benjamin Zephaniah Naked

• Words: Eric K. Arnold
• Label: One Little Indian
• XLR8R Rating: /10

Echoes of Linton Kwesi Johnson, Saul Williams, and Last Poets run through Benjamin Zephaniah's lyrical flow. Whether claiming a conscious black identity in England on the title track, addressing the serious issue of biochemical tricknology with irony and humor on "Genetics," or explaining ignorance as simply a case of listening to the "Rong Radio Station," the UK dub poet's honesty is both brutal and refreshing throughout. Naked's minimal backing tracks favor dubstep more than traditional roots, but Zephaniah's praises "to the great ganja creator" keep the ites irie.