Stephen "Stezo" Williams is born in 1968 in New Haven, Connecticut. The kid chooses to become a rapper after being a background dancer for EPMD, appearing in the music video of their single "You Gots to Chill", extracted by "Strictly Business". A year later, in 1989, Stezo signs with Sleeping Bag Records and publishes his debut single "To the Max" before his full LP. There's no guest and is almost all self-produced, the first two tracks are produced by Vicious V.
It combines a praiseworthy production, composed of excellent fresh funky-jazzy rhythms and fantastic samples, with lyrics that aren't too superior to the other rappers, the main theme is the usual simple braggadocio, but they're delivered with a fresh, smooth and functional rapping to the rhythms which allows the performer to forge sublime cuts. This effort doesn't present obvious weaknesses, it's pure boom bap and rap for over forty minutes, which is why it's projected directly among the best hidden albums of the period.
The record is released by Fresh Records, Sleeping Bag sub-label, supported by three singles ("To the Max", "It's My Turn", "Freak the Funk", all entering the charts) and manages to make his way into the rnb albums. Despite the attempt to carve out a slice of the market also on the European continent, the results convinced the artist not to release any more material, leaving the label and the scene for many years.
The fun fact that the cover is really so deceptive earns him some points, undeniably.
Highlights: "Bring the Horns", "Freak the Funk", "It's My Turn", "Get's Into His Move".
Rating: 7.5/10.
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