Teflon Don's Album Review: 2009

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Album Review: Teflon Don God The Government the Game

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Monday, 03 August 2009 00:00

Memphis-based rapper Teflon Don recently dropped a new CD entitled God the Government the Game.

On the title track and in the liner notes he explains the three things that define his life: faith in God, his time spent in the military ("the government"), and his belief that "game" is useful skills that one has in addition to their regular job. These three themes are evident throughout the entire album. The first track “Intro-It’s Go’n Be Alright” is very uplifting and segues nicely into the title track. “Struggler” talks about how economic hardship lead some people to turn to illegal activities for profit. “Count My Money” is another cautionary track where he tells people to spend their money wisely, a far cry from the excessive “baller” mentality that many rappers live by. “Let’s Talk About” is another nice bit of social commentary where Don calls out drug dealers, crooked politicians, and the media’s scrutiny of African-American celebrities such as Kobe Bryant. That track segues nicely into another inspirational track, “Going Through Some Thangs”, and the heartfelt “Unborn Son” which is an honest discussion with his future offspring. There are some songs for the ladies (“The Way She Move”, “You Don’t Have to Go Home”), a few “crunk” tracks, (“I Represent” and “We Get Money”), and some profanity, but the album is very well-rounded and touches on a variety of topics.

Teflon Don is not too preachy or excessively misogynistic, and he paints a very balanced picture of his life and his situations. He also does not flood the album with guest appearances, a trap that many rappers fall into. The voice and philosophy for most of the album belongs to Teflon Don, and in an age when many solo rap albums sound like “compilations”, this album is a refreshing change. Teflon Don also ends the album on an upbeat note with the catchy “ID’N Made It Now”, which calls out the radio stations who initially refused to play him but eventually had to put his songs in the rotation because of his buzz. Teflon Don has delivered a diverse record that will make you think and make you dance. His straightforward delivery ensures that the message will not get overtaken by the catchy music. The lyrics and beat complement each other, and Don’s efforts clearly outshine many of his contemporaries in the “Memphis rap” genre. Hopefully, his approach will catch on and inspire other rappers in the city to find creative ways to address subjects other than money, cars, women, and weed.