Shonlock- Neveroddoreven

by Reggie Edwards

Even though Shonlock released his debut solo record this year, to say he is a newcomer to the music industry would be far from the truth. In fact, he has spent time on stage with some of the biggest names in music- both in the Christian market and secular.

At the start of his career he spent time as a dance and choreographer for Arrested Development and the late, great R and B princess Aaliyah.

After a spiritual transformation and becoming a Christian, he took his talents to

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artists like GRITS, Nicole C. Mullen and the Katinas. It was then that he caught the eye of Christian music legend Tobymac, who brought Shonlock on to be part of the Diverse City Band.

Well, Shonlock has since left Toby Mac’s crew to pursue a solo career, and his debut record, Neveroddoreven, does not disappoint.

From start to finish, the record is up-to-par in sound quality and rhyme quality with today’s mainstream rap and hip hop.

You can definitely tell Shonlock spent time with Tobymac because the genre variety on the record are similar to that of Tobymac.

The first two tracks, “Something in Your Eyes” and “Could You Be,” are very solid rap/dance tracks and give Neveroddoreven a strong start from the gate.

Soft tracks like “Hello” or “Cheers” give the record a change of pace and showcase Shonlock’s mellow side and reveal that he is able to cover both ends of the spectrum, with upbeat hip hop as well as soft rap ballads.

Then you have songs like “Bet Ya House” and “Set it Off,” that have a rock sound, very similar to what you would find on a Tobymac record.

Perhaps the strongest point on the record are the tracks “Scarred” and “Monster,” which offer a double shot of emotion and are a two-punch knockout, putting the album over the hump and solidifying Neveroddoreven as one of the strongest and best debut Christian albums of the year.

Rating: 8.5/10

Release Date: June 21, 2011 (Arrow Records)