787, a Rap/Alternative/Punk group made up of cousins Lyve and Young Kose, are an inventive Rap duo who is pushing the mold with their Metal/Rap hybrid sound.  At first listen, one is reminded of the Hip-Hop super-group Outkast, but as one continues to listen, it’s clear the similarities end there.  The approach to the music is the same, but 787 have a long way to go to reach the maturity and talent of a group such as Outkast.

“Bankenstine” is a song about money— the line “Call me Bankenstine/My Money is Alive” is chanted over and over again throughout the song.  The music is reminiscent of the 80’s pop ditty “Somebody’s Watching Me.”  But while Rockwell’s well known song is catchy, “Bankenstine” does not have much to offer.  The rapping featured on the track is very well executed, but the topic of the song is very uninteresting and pointless.  The listener can understand the concept of the song, but after a minute or two into the tune, the novelty wears off and one can easily cease to care about what the artists are trying to say or accomplish.

Another song, “Her Addiction,” does not improve much upon the first track.  This song is purely a Punk/Rap mash-up.  There really is no tune or direction to the song.  It’s very disjointed, and it sounds as though the artists are merely yelling throughout the track.  After awhile, the song becomes annoying to listen to, and one can’t wait for it to end. And the worst part, the basis of the song is an obsessed fan who follows 787 around and can’t get enough—truly arrogant and delusional.  This tune unfortunately does not work, and would benefit to have more of a catchy beat and a more captivating, realistic subject matter. 

787 offers two songs that talk about “picking up” women.  “Wing Man” and “Super Whore” are fun, albeit a bit juvenile, tracks that are tolerable to listen to.  “Wing Man” has a catchy tune and a beat that can be danced to.  It’s relevant to the times—dealing with the issue of having a wing man to bring along to the clubs.  The only downside is the vocals.  The long, drawn out vowels in the chorus are a bit grating, and diverts the listener from enjoying the hot dance beat.  “Super Whore” is a Thrash-Metal type track.  Again, it has a nice melody, but unfortunately the lyrics have nothing new to say.  The trashy woman who sleeps around is a topic that has been done to death, and doesn’t offer anything new and fresh or unique. Some people may even find this song to be a little offensive.  While these two songs are not terrible, neither one of them is memorable, nor is there anything to make them stand out.  787 need to find a way to make their music attention-grabbing and fresh by offering songs with more substance and validity.

787 seem to be on a good path by trying to offer something a little unconventional to the masses, but they have a long way to go.   Their songs are fun and have a laid-back vibe, but in order for this to translate better to the listener, a more mature and relevant approach would greatly improve their music.  A little less camp, a little more maturity, and a dash of consistency is in order.  Rap/Punk hybrid music has lost some of its steam these last few years….. 787 need to come up with something fresh, something new to revive this genre.  Then, maybe 787 will reach their full potential and offer us something great that will have people talking.