LET'S CHILL "This just puts me in a good mood. I can actually picture myself driving around at night with this as the soundtrack, leaving all of my responsibilities and concerns at home. It wouldn't be the smartest or most mature thing to do, but everyone needs to get away sometimes." -Max Mojoe is a duo from San Antonio, Texas...They're rappers with a live band, which will automatically draw comparisons with The Roots, but being that Mojoe hails from the South, critics always have to throw a little bit of Outkast into the mix, even though that may simply be due to the fact that Mojoe is made up of two people. They traffic in soulful beats and rhymes that aren't overly concerned with violent acts of aggression or with how much better they are than you at rapping: no, Mojoe specialize in music that you can actually enjoy with your lady, without going the sentimental R&B route. In 2006 Mojoe signed to Matthew Knowles' Music World label where they released their first album, classic.ghetto.soul. 3rd coast Anthem from that album was featured on the Bring it On: All or Nothing soundtrack. With classic.ghetto.soul, MOJOE introduced their musical vision. With DIRTY GENES, they assume their roles as the most soulful rap group of their time. There's been rap groups that were funkier, more gangster, or more lyrically complex, but with the release of DIRTY GENES, the argument can realistically be made that there's never been a rap group more soulfully diverse. DIRTY GENES was a song and album concept that MOJOE initially created in 2004, but when their debut underground album got picked up by Music World Music/Fontana for national distribution, they had to put their second album on hold to tour. After completing their obligations to Music World Music in 2007, Mojoe entered the studio to finally begin crafting their latest masterpiece. Their new album's theme revolves around the fight that we all have with our past and with our flesh. MOJOE successfully paints a stunning portrait of imperfection, reflection, confession, and resolve. The title also refers to the influence that Texas blues, New Orleans jazz, and dirty south hip-hop has had on their musical genetics. The first line of a recent review from LA Weekly stated “Mojoe can't decide whether they're a hip-hop band, a funk band, or an R&B ensemble, but it doesn't matter, they're great at all three.” Throughout the DIRTY GENES album, they showcase the stellar songwriting they've come to be known for, while delivering a masterful soundtrack that includes blues, R&B, hip-hop, jazz, and classic soul. The album boasts production by T.R.R.E. and Easy Lee of MOJOE, Rob Bass (Lil Flip, Erica G, Lil Keke) Roger Blevins (Mingo Fishtrap), BRISS (Nappy Roots, Tupac, Trina), S1 (Strange Fruit Project, Erykah Badu, Blu, Kanye West . The album also features guest appearances by Bavu Blakes, Money Waters, Mingo Fishtrap, and Rob Bass. THE LAST WORD: Let's Chill is not a record for listeners who look for violent or overtly sexual content, nor is it for fans of the "artists" who populate the Billboard charts. As much as I hate this term (since I believe that music should be capable of transcending generations), Mojoe presents us with "grown folks music", and not just because of their reliance on singing. Easy Lee and Tre present a mature outlook on life while still reflecting on what makes it worth living in the first place.