Scru Face Jean keeps fresh, original style alive with ‘Inside Out Swishers’

When last I wrote of local rapper Scru Face Jean, it was for his ridiculous-sounding — and ridiculously good — mixtape, "Ndamukong Scru." The mix was high on energy, low on pretension and just damn good. The great thing about it is that SFJ doesn't seem to take himself too seriously or lose any of his game. His talent is genuine. His passion, obvious. And now Face has even more greatness for the Star City with his latest mix, "Inside Out Swishers: Roll Fast."

Right off the bat, Face throws ego to the wind, trying to start a song, but being constantly interrupted by weed, phone calls and drowsiness, eventually giving up the sample to launch right into the first proper song on "Swishers," "Wake." From the this point on, every track reasserts the fact that SFJ is a rapper worth your attention. Every time I hear him, he seems to get a little tighter, a little more confident with his style and a little bit more serious about what is obviously a serious level of skill.

Face is just a young man, not even able to legally drink, but his rhymes will intoxicate you. He forgoes the tired cliches of typical one-hit-wonder rappers — dumbed down and endlessly repeated choruses about done-to-death subjects, horrendously repetitive keyboard beats and undue senses of entitlement — for legitimately creative rhymes about living in Lincoln and loving the good life.

A lyrical theme that seems to run through "Swishers" is a satirical take on mainstream rappers and R&Bers, and how they're almost illegitimized by their own undue senses of self. Face doesn't have that. He knows he's good, but he doesn't beat you over the head with it. He proves it, track after club-ready track.

And did I mention the guy's got style? He's got more music videos than any local artist really needs to have, but they're all well-composed, well-edited and distinctively Scru, his indomitable swagger apparent in his modest rapper look and easy-going moves. For a taste of his style, check out his newest video for "Swisher Sweets and Court Dates" at his website, scrufacejean.com.

If there's any criticism I have of "Swishers," (sorry Face, I gotta have at least one to still be called a critic) it's that this mixtape takes on a markedly more serious tone than "Ndamukong Scru." There was an irreverent, latently entertaining aspect to "Ndamukong" that isn't quite expressed on "Swishers," although the more serious tone could just be a result of Face trying to take his career more seriously. Either way, I still bate to it.

"Inside Out Swishers: Roll Fast" is yet another great offering from Scru Face Jean, and yet another one I'll be keeping in the CD player for a while. It just makes me want to hear what's next. If Face can continue on this path, he could be going places pretty soon, and I wish him all the best.

There's no MC I'd rather have representing my favorite city.

caseywelsch@dailynebraskan.com