Fort Minor — The Rising Tied

Surrounded by lumbering, overproduced guitars and the angsty wail of singer Chester Bennington, Mike Shinoda's mediocre rhymes always seemed like an afterthought in Linkin Park. As such, Shinoda's solo effort, The Rising Tied, recorded under his Fort Minor moniker, is a bit surprising for the way it validates the rapper-producer's skills. Shinoda may still be an amateurish MC, but on this record he masks his weaknesses with more heartfelt lyrics and the wise use of guest artists like Common and Black Thought. Sonically, Shinoda mixes traditional scratching, moody keyboards and sprinkles of electronica to create a compelling and confident sound. Linkin Park may have made him famous, but this record is certainly a stronger expression of Shinoda's talents.

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