Review By Beeb Ashcroft indie-music.com Mainstream rap has become an extraordinarily predictable genre - take sample A, B, or C, paste in your standard Pro Tools drum loop, and add some stale lyrics about being a tough gangster with oodles of money and women. When I popped in Eon MC Etc.'s debut CD A Reckonin', I was figured it would be yet more cookie cutter rap - but I was wrong. Eon MC Etc. - born DeAndre Tinker - is eloquent, intelligent, and very talented. His tracks are well thought out, with solid material and a surprisingly polished presentation, especially for a debut album. He also has a great flow, and a very good voice. He both raps and sings on the album, and he has the pipes to back it up - in stark contrast to many Top 40 rappers who use vocoders to cover up their horrendous vocals. This blows any mainstream rap CD I've heard in the past few years (or decades) out of the water. Eon MC Etc. has managed to breathe a little life into a very played out genre, with rap that manages to be creative and thoughtful. This disc has great crossover appeal, because it is so melodic. Even if you aren't typically a hip-hop fan, you should give it a spin. This CD channels an old school vibe and reminds me of rap from the early eighties - when rappers were more original and actually had some kind of a message other than booties and cars. Eon MC Etc. rejects the superficial gangsta rap culture and delivers thought-provoking, articulate verses that talk about things most rappers - or any songwriters, for that matter - won't touch. My favorite track on this CD is "This Ain't Livin'." He pulls no punches and delivers a track that is both very poignant and clever. I would love to see Eon MC Etc. on MTV Jams instead of the usual fare, but he delivers such honest smack-downs to corporate culture that it's unlikely we'd see this kind of revolutionary on there. But I think that's OK with him. Review - "A Reckonin'": More times than not, I try to embrace those who spark a conversation with me while on the go. Occasionally it is tough though for some; I'm not referring to those who present you with your normal "hi's" or "hello's," I am talking about those who could be standing in line with you at the post office who begin talking about random irrelevant things. Though some of these people may be humorous and entertaining, others send me into an "et cetera mind-state," where the conversation gradually goes into a "this, that, so on and so forth, etc" moment; leaving me often annoyed. Much of the hip-hop I hear has the same affect, but not Eon MC Etc's latest, A Reckonin'. Honestly, I believe hip-hop has fallen into an "et cetera" state as well; for the most part when those outside of the genre think hip-hop, they immediately think guns, violence, bitches, money, sex, niggers etc. If it were not for my love for the culture, the music and various artists that I respect, I probably would have retired from all ventures of the game a long time ago. I probably would have stopped buying albums after my last years of high school, but due to artists like Eon and others; I have and will continue to support hip-hop until my demise. Eon seems real; his music has depth and it is evident this emcee, poet and surprisingly singer keeps loyal to his beliefs. Its clear Eon wants to see change within hip-hop. Instead of "dumbing down" his music as so many others do, Eon stands for educating his listeners. I personally appreciate this. A Reckonin' is not just an album; it is another piece of a bigger movement. Just as in sports, it takes a team of individuals working together to bring victory, Eon through A Reckonin' has successfully showcased what team he is on and what type of victory he is looking to gain. With a voice similar to Paris and a rhyme style influenced by the Outkast/Goodie Mob click, Eon is a versatile emcee that is destined for greatness. A Reckonin' comes complete with soulfully layered beats, intelligent rhymes, poetry and R&B vocals. Highlighted moments on this album shine through on Chip On My Shoulder, Bring The Heat and Angry Black Man. - ScholarMan Hip Hop Linguistics