Revisited release: 2006
Out of everybody in the Justus League, apart from Little Brother of course, Median happens to be the most intriguing one. That's not to say everybody sucks, cos they actually don't. But Median seems like he's the only one that really has something to say, with such an enigmatic and interesting style added to it. I first heard the North Carolina rapper (born James Livingston) when I started listening to Little Brother, with him being the only rapping guest on their debut album The Listening. Moody appeared on the laidback standout "Shorty on the Lookout", where he traded bars with Phonte & Big Pooh, which really impressed me, as he was floating like it was nothing. His chemistry with Phonte also happens to be on another level, both trading bars effortlessly on "Eternally" (from Te's debut Charity Starts at Home) and "All That You Are" (off The Foreign Exchange's Connected).
Around that time Median appeared on The Listening, he was also working on his debut album, Median's Relief. A lot of songs meant for the album were found on Justus League mixtapes, including "Median Alleviates the Drama", "Comfortable" and "Give a Little Bit" with Joe Scudda. I found "M.A.D." on the 9th Wonder compilation Dream Merchant, Vol. 1, and I absolutely loved it. But with the features he was doing from 2003 to 2004, people were still awaiting Relief, wondering what was taking him long. So he dropped an EP to hold them over.
The Path to Relief happened to be a mini compilation of songs that were meant for his debut, most of which were previously released on these Justus League mixtapes. However, it was clear the album was taking long. Most fans have already heard majority of the songs from the mixtapes, therefore, no point of putting them on the actual album, so it was only right to make them into an entirely different project. According to Moody himself, the title didn't only refer to the "trials and tribulations it takes to create and successfully put out an album", but also trying to gain a broader network community. This is clear from the freestyle outro, produced by Khrysis, where he asks the listener to share this EP to 5 of their friends.
The original EP release features 8 tracks, and the revisited 2006 version has 2 bonus cuts. It was almost entirely produced by the one and only 9th Wonder, with only 2 songs having different contributors (the first track was produced by Eccentric, and the 8th produced by Khrysis).
Unlike the rest of the League, Median brings charisma to the table, with a calm delivery, carefree style and intriguing content. His style is more to the point where it's like he has his own slang, frequently using the word 'iddish' throughout his discography. From what I've read, that word is a pretty common slang term (probably more around North Carolina), but the way Moody uses the word makes it comes across like he made that up himself.
The intro, "Cool", says it all. Over an Eccentric rhythm, Median take us through a journey of how he sees himself, with lines like "Plain clothes, never accumulate it, lame foes/No games, stop playing, I don't even game hoes/His style and his actions explain them the most". Phonte appears on the song too, and is also the only guest on the album. However, he's demoted to hook duties instead of doing a verse with Moody. And his vocals are pretty good. Median ends the song with a key quote on the EP: "Changing Median, I'm feeling so Moody/I put the 'ool' in 'Cool', the cool is released/The cool is Relief". Median's nickname is Moody, which would later be confirmed on his actual album to be his alter ego, on the song "How Big is Your World?".
The content on The Path to Relief is actually the best part, surprisingly, which keeps up very well with the wavey production. "Visionary" and "Median Alleviates the Drama" sees Median at his most introspective and serious throughout this EP. "Visionary" is a self-reflecting standout, touching on a range of things including him trying to paint pictures and how society is like; while the latter, also on Dream Merchant, Vol. 1, reflects more on himself, along with his surroundings, as he attempts to grind to make it out the hood with his crew. I've already discussed 9th's wonderful sample chop on that song, and if you wanna see my detailed thoughts on that song, along with the entire 9th compilation, click here. "Two Extremes", a bonus off the 2006 reissue, is also a pretty introspective song, where he reflects on how he's stuck between right and wrong. It's a nice representation of his name, showing how he's stuck in the middle when it comes to certain situations, with dope quotables including "Median, sometimes I'm Moody, no iddish" and "Real economists don't teach economy in college". "Short Story" isn't necessarily a personal cut, but it's an actual short and creative song where Median takes a minute (literally) to tell a story about his girlfriend interrupting his train of thought as he writes his raps.
"Comfortable", "Maglite" and "Relectric Elaxation" are the calmest songs on the EP, all produced by 9th Wonder. "Comfortable" is so freakin' beautiful, and is actually my favourite beat from 9th, as he chops the hell outta that Luther Vandross sample. And Median complements it so well, with his calm vibe over it. The hook is amazing too. "Relectric Elaxation" is basically Median's own version of the classic A Tribe Called Quest cut "Electric Relaxation", as he tries to get a lady's attention and chill with her. It's one of my favourites off the EP, and Median doesn't disappoint at all. 9th's beat was dope as well. "Maglite" is another bonus off the 2006 reissue, which has such a summer vibe, as 9th samples a Chaka Khan tune. It's a solid laidback tune, that has a lot of replay value, and Median is so calm on it. One line that actually gets me is "The law supposed to serve and protect us/but what do we do when the law's not enough?". Overall, that song is dope as hell, and both Median & 9th don't disappoint with their contributions. "Doing Dances" comes across as a carefree ass song, with a sunny beat from 9th. Median gives a "I'm just doing my thing" vibe as he reflects on himself, and what he's trying to do with his life and his music. It's another one of my favourites, and once again, the chemistry between Moody & 9th is so clear and amazing.
The Path to Relief's production is mostly handled by 9th Wonder, and you know damn well 9th always comes through with the legendary sample chops. "Comfortable" has to be my favourite beat from 9th, the way he chopped that Luther Vandross sample was so god damn beautiful, it can make a grown man cry. "Doing Dances" and "Maglite" gives hella summer vibes, with a carefree delivery from Median to complement the two beats. "Median Alleviates the Drama" is another of my favourite 9th beats, and once again, the sample chop is on another level, I freakin' love it! Khrysis delivers a beat for the freestyle outro, where Median thanks his fans for copping the project, and anticipates his debut. The sample is soulful, and Khrysis flips it just right. Eccentric provides a smooth and soulful instrumental with "Cool" and both Moody & Phonte sound just at home on it. I always thought Te would've been appropriate for a rap verse also, but it's clear as an intro, Median didn't wanna get washed (ha) and wanted to introduce the project smoothly. But it's whatever though.
So yeah, I love The Path to Relief. It serves as a pretty good warm-up to Median's Relief, with 9th providing dope ass beats and Median delivering an intriguing style standing out from the Justus League. The content is top-notch, being very clear that Median has more to offer than just hardcore flows and witty punchlines. His music leans more onto the calm grown man vibe, which is something I enjoy. And throughout these 21 minutes (30 if you count the bonus tracks), Median happens to interest me as a listener so effectively. There are no bad songs at all, and Median sounds so comfortable (no pun intended) over the instrumentals. If this is the EP, imagine how the album sounds...
Recommended Tracks: "Comfortable", "Relectric Elexation", "Doing Dances", "Visionary", "Maglite", "Median Alleviates the Drama"
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