G.R.I.T.S.

If you like OutKast, then it’s time for some Grits. The Gotee hip-hop recording act, consisting of rappers Coffee (Stacy Jones) and Bonafide (Teron Carter), recently wrapped up the See Spot Rock tour with white rock groups like Pillar and Skillet. They were promoting their disc, “Dichotomy A,” which dropped this past June. Meanwhile, “Dichotomy B,” another album, is slated for release this fall. Grits, which has been together since 1993, has been keepin’ very busy this year.

Seeing themselves as hip-hop artists, Coffee and Bonafide have a sound remarkably similar to OutKast, the southern hip-hop group who found immense success with smash hits like “Hey Ya!” and “I Like The Way You Move,” recently. However, with Grits and their “Dichotomy” albums, you can expect that the lyrics aren’t going to offend your grandma too much, whereas some of the stuff on OutKast’s album is a little raunchy. Are you thinking that Grits is just whack Christian rap? Don’t worry—it’s not.

“Past albums had a good balance of urban with a mass appeal,” says Bonafide. “But this time we did songs that are predominantly more aggressive. We just went for it with beats, rhythms, and feel. People slave at their jobs all week long. When they get out to kick it, they want to kick it hard, and they need music to match how they’re feeling.”

From dancehall (“Gutter Boy”) to the laid-back groove of “Pardon Me Yo,” Grits know how to deliver a variety of sounds so that you’re not always pressing fast forward on the CD player. “Dichotomy A” is the kind of album you’ll want to listen to all the way through. It’s also the kind of album where you’ll have your favorites, and probably sing along to some of the choruses. Female singers do their thing well, helping add some soulful sounds to many Grits’ songs.

Having appeared in the pages of respected publications like XXL, Vibe, Spin, Billboard, and The Source, Grits is one of those rare Christian hip-hop acts that mainstream hip-hop heads take seriously. Well, when you share the stage with such notables as Jay-Z, Nappy Roots, Ice Cube, A Tribe Called Quest, and Goodie Mob, it’s no wonder you get some love from the global hip-hop community.

If you’re looking for Grits’ breakthrough album, that would be 2002’s “The Art Of Translation,” and chances are you might see their video for “Hittin’ Curves” (from “Dichotomy A”) when you’re flipping channels. Grits is gaining momentum, for real, so check, check ‘em out, a’ight?

By Mark Weber