Reviewed by Dustin Helgeson

John Rueben returns with his third full length LP, full of creativity and fresh sounds. Known for his tongue-in-cheek approach, the Gotee recording artist gives us a mature, thought out release full of catchy hooks, smooth backing vocals and bouncy hip-hop. Nearly every song is a standout, but “Haven’t Been Myself” caught my attention with the smoothly sung chorus, “I’m not alright, I haven’t been myself lately/I’m not okay with the way I’ve let my thoughts overtake/Take me away from a place I shouldn’t have gone/I hope I’m not here for long,” in a Dido-like appearance. The self-produced, experimental album claims be the most personal Reuben has recorded yet. Along side the fun songs Rueben is best known for are deeply serious songs. The new album features an assortment of accompaniments and Rueben’s vocal delivery has become much more confidant and self-assured. Rueben has slowly but surely upped the stakes in his hip-hop game. His next tours will include a backing band rather than just the usual DJ and small supporting crew. ‘Professional Rapper’ is John Rueben’s best, giving him the needed leverage and respect to continue his Christian rap popularity. He’s going to have a lot more material to compete with KJ-52 now!

This track data is supplied by the Cross Rhythms CD/DVD review library. Please note that CD tracks may vary according to release region or product version. You should not assume that products purchased through Cross Rhythms Direct will necessarily have identical track listings to those shown.