After simultaneously carving himself a niche in the underground hip hop scene, Ben Smith, most notably known as Doc Brown, is back to drop another individual offering in the form of ‘Citizen Smith Vol.2 – Nothing To Lose’. Doc Brown is no stranger to the scene. After gaining fame with the Poisonous Poets collective, solo recognition came with ‘Citizen Smith Vol.1’ and more recently the ‘Document LP’ which was released in 2005. On top of various BBC radio and TV appearances and the new LP dropping soon, Doc aims to solidify his status in the British hip hop community.

Doc kick starts the album with the massive anthem ‘Superstar Movements’, an ode to the celebrity lifestyle and how once in a while, we all need to feel like a superstar. The rocking beat and great samples definitely makes this a feel good tune which carries the mood all through the LP. The melodic guitar led ‘What else can we do’ which features Doc’s younger brother Luc Skyz links a rise in teen violence to the way young people are being stereotyped by the media and others, creating a nationwide feeling of frustration and rebellion. Luc Skyz comes through with a tight verse that’s worthy of mention. Being the brother of Zadie Smith (author of ‘White Teeth’) Doc showcases his lyrical dexterity on the infectious classical-style violin chords of the first single ‘Nothing To Lose’. The strings create a perfect backdrop for him to spit his verbal skills.

‘Smash That’ is typical Doc Brown, getting the party started with tub thumping drums and Oliver Twist sampling of talented producer Nutty P. Mr Thing is brought in on ‘Wake Up’ which starts with an alarm clock going off and Barry White telling Doc to wake up as he sets off on a comedic rap about a one night stand gone wrong. Baby J and Mr Drastick combine for a late summer track ‘Summer Breeze’ which produces the perfect soundtrack for any hot afternoon.

The album continues with ‘To My Health’, where Doc Brown is joined by fellow Poisonous Poets producer DJ Snips for a soul sampling, highly chopped, raucous, riot inducing four minutes. Going on the same vibe as ‘Superstar Movements’, it’s a celebration for what Doc has achieved in his career and proves there’s also plenty more to come. Mr Ti2bs appears on a couple of the tracks, the syrupy ‘Baby’ and ‘Stand By Me’ which also features Stylah for a well-produced smooth set of biographies and sentiments of camaraderie.

The album then finishes on a high note, ‘Gone’ produced by Budgie, a relatively mid-tempo track in which Doc tells how he has moved on from the ‘couch potatoes’ he used to know, now feeling the need to explore individualism and what is needed to get out there and go for yourself.

The LP rounds off with a recording from BBC Radio 4 about Doc’s use of vocabulary and how around 90% of his raps are common English which just proves how accessible Doc Brown is to the average listener. What Doc Brown has delivered on this release is a seamless natural blend of good time vibes, introspective stories and street anthems. More up-tempo than his previous release, ‘Citizen Smith Vol.2’ features a few songs that are more radio or club friendly while still sticking to Doc Brown’s trademark sound. In my opinion, it’s a natural evolution and one definitely worth checking out!