Shai Linne delivers more of his cerebral and affable Christian rap on
Lyrical Theology, Pt. 1: Theology, his fifth album. It features some of the most energizing beats to appear on a
Linne album -- alternately sparse, spacy, and dramatic without being overbearing. Once again, the MC receives assistance from several peers, including
Joint Heirs,
Timothy Brindle, and
Leah Smith, I Six5's J.G.,
Willie Will, and Through Hymn. Still unafraid to stick his neck out,
Linne confronts prosperity theology in "Fal$e Teacher$," compares its high-profile practitioners -- who he mentions by name -- to sharks, and cites a Bible passage in which the pursuance of wealth is said to be destructive. ~ Andy Kellman