Outasight "From There To Here: An Album Prequel" Review

Yonkers has never been a breeding ground for hip-hop artists. The New York suburb has produced notables such as the LOX and DMX, but has never created an identity outside of the generic East Coast ode to hustling.

Outasight, a.k.a. Richard Andrew, has taken it upon himself to meld another Yonkers native’s – Mary J Blige – R&B delivery into a hip-hop soundscape unique to his predecessors.

With equal parts late ‘90s Rawkus Records and pop influences, Outasight uses the framework laid out by executive producer 6^th Sense to fashion a soul-laden release with From There to Here: An Album Prequel.

What distinguishes Outasight from fellow contemporaries attempting to mash genres is his abuse of beats. While most hip-hop albums with live instrumentation can be overwhelmed by the robust backing live instruments provide, Outasight inflects at the same time a guitar twangs or drum hits to overshadow an otherwise dominant effect, i.e. “What I Know.”

Outsight sounds more polished than he has in his previous efforts. It may come courtesy of the cohesiveness an overseeing producer contributes, but Outasight alone sounds like he has come into himself as an artist that can work his vocal ability directly into a traditional rhyme technique without sacrificing lyrical integrity.