Jesse Dangerously
Verba Volant
Backburner
In Latin, verba volant means “words fly away,” and in Jesse D’s latest, that’s exactly what’s happening. This album kills on so many fronts—special props to Timbuktu and Fresh Kils, who lay down some inspired beats. But it’s ultimately Jesse’s talent as a linguist and MC that shines. On what could be one of the best songs of the year, “Aw Shucks,” he drops rhymes everywhere and makes it sound so slick, so fresh. On “Naming Names” (his shout-out to those who mean the most), he calls out “bad rap wouldn’t make me so angry/if good rap weren’t so good.” We want to respond, “We hear ya, Jesse, and shit, man, Verba Volant is really good.”
Dave Hayden
This article appears in Feb 7-13, 2008.