Cut to the chase: On album number four Dizzee Rascal has a decent crack at the mainstream, while still successfully retaining his grime roots. Though the rapper undoubtedly has a flair for rhyme and banter, his lyrics are just not as clever as some might have you believe.
On his fourth studio album, London rapper Dizzee Rascal claims to be taking a move towards mainstream pop music, but 'Tongue N' Cheek' is not for passive pop fans who like their music easy and uncomplicated. 'Tongue N' Cheek' still reeks of grime, with heavy distorted bass and rampant beats, while guest producers Armand Van Helden and Tiesto leave inflections of their dance ingenuity on 'Bonkers' and 'Bad Behaviour' respectively.
The closest Dizzee gets to pop is where he drafts in Scottish disco DJ Calvin Harris, adding his masterful catchy hooks to singles 'Dance Wiv Me' and 'Holiday'. Likewise, the reggae sample of Aswad's 'Warrior's Charge from the 1980 film Babylon breathes life into 'Can't Tek Me No More', while 'Dirtee Cash' mixes electro beats with the 90s dance feel of Stevie V's original 'Dirty Cash' to create shoulder shaking funk, despite its questionable subject matter.
But lyrically, Dizzee Rascal isn't half as clever as people like to think. Yes, his rhyming skills and wordplay are impressive, but what's clever about lines like 'just know that I bag it before I shag it' and 'sprayed in her mouth as I watch her kiss her boyfriend'? Dizzee focuses on the most typical of rap topics, and for an album that seems to be relying on wit and shock factor to get by, it's not in the least bit subtle or novel.
Dizzee sums it up pretty well himself, 'I like money, money money, girls, girls, cash, cash.' And while the album's title itself suggests it's not to be taken seriously, this is hardly the most original or insightful of material.
