Happy 20th Anniversary to Gift of Gab’s debut solo album 4th Dimensional Rocketships Going Up, originally released May 11, 2004.
Timothy “Gift of Gab” Parker—who passed away in 2021 at the age of 50—was one of hip-hop’s unsung heroes. I know the idea of giving rappers their “flowers” is rapidly becoming clichéd, but Gift of Gab never really did receive the credit that he deserved when he was amongst the living. As a member of the Quannum/Solesides collective, he possessed a vast ocean of skill and verbal acuity.
Gift of Gab was best known as one half of Blackalicious, along with DJ/producer Chief Xcel. Together, during the 1990s and early 2000s they recorded such acclaimed projects as the Melodica EP (1994), Nia (1999) and Blazing Arrow (2002). Blackalicious recorded the latter of those projects while signed to MCA Records, but the imprint folded in 2003, eventually being absorbed into Universal Music Group. The group went back to their Quannum Records home, and soon after, Gab dropped 4th Dimensional Rocketships Going Up, his debut solo album.
Released twenty years ago, 4th Dimensional Rocketships isn’t just a Blackalicious album by another name. For one, there’s a distinct lack of Chief Xcel. Instead, Gab opts to give the album a northwest flavor by enlisting Seattle, Washington area producers Jake One and Vitamin D, who split the album’s production duties just about evenly. Both talented beatmakers were in the process of their rise to prominence, and each creates a soulful, jazzy palette that fits Gab’s skill set perfectly.
On the mic, Gift of Gab is very much the sole star of 4th Dimensional Rocketships. He holds down lyrical duties almost completely on his own, save one sole guest verse. Gift of Gab is also a bit more economical in his execution. Blackalicious’ Nia and Blazing Arrow were lengthy affairs featuring epic tracks. On 4th Dimensional Rocketships, Gift of Gab says more with less, packing in 15 tracks into 47 minutes, often limiting himself to two, or even one, verse per song.
Gab packed much more substance in his rhymes than he was often given credit for. Even his “emcee tracks,” though seemingly abstract, reflected his thoughts and feelings on his importance as artist. He took his role as a rapper very seriously, and though he was always motivated to stay at the top of his craft, he often spoke of trying to achieve something higher through his music.
As for the album’s fairly esoteric title, it signifies Gab’s pursuit to live a better life, a theme that recurs through much of the project. “The definition of the title just means living in the spirit,” he said in an interview with MVRemix.com. “Trying to just not live in your head so much. Trying to understand that we're all people, we've all been put here and we all have a mission to accomplish. … 4th Dimensional Rocketships is really about the pursuit of trying to live in that dimension where you're out of your head and really experiencing the moment.”
Like much of Gift of Gab and the Quannum collective’s output, 4th Dimensional Rocketships requires the listener to think. Gift of Gab’s lyrical gymnastics are stunning in execution and require your full attention to really appreciate, but it is a rewarding experience. I believe it’s his best solo album and second best album where he plays a central role (after Blazing Arrow).
Listen to the Album:
“The Ride of Your Life” features Gift of Gab nimbly dancing over shimmering harps, strings, and a guitar sample, expounding on how he “bring(s) the lyrics that come down from up, inherent to the sound.” The sublime “Way of the Light” is anchored by a smooth vibraphone and hand-clap percussion. Though the song was later used in an advertisement for Coca Cola, it’s one of the project’s deeper entries, as Gab speaks on eschewing material wealth and seeking a higher spiritual purpose through music. He envisions himself guiding his audience through this enlightenment, rapping, “I put the pen to the paper and let the ink thin / Give what it's channeling through me without no thinking.”
Gab explores other topical matters throughout 4th Dimensional Rocketships. He reminisces on the good and bad of his formative years on “Flashback,” and describes the dynamics of building a successful relationship on “To Know You.” On “Up,” Gab relates an interaction with a cab driver from another country, and says more about governmental oppression, class warfare, shared trauma, and intersectionality in under two minutes than many artists attempt in three times the length.
The album also features many impressive verbal displays, such as “The Writz” (the album’s first single) and “Stardust.” On “Rate Race,” the album’s second single, Gab experiments with an unorthodox delivery, as he describes trying to navigate through label politics as an artist. “In a world full of shiest-type criminals,” he raps, “make a LP feel like cinema.” “Just Because,” the album’s bonus track, is an immaculately executed clinic on stylistic expression and breath control. Gab explains how he motivates himself through love of the craft, rather than material wealth.
“Real MCs” features the project’s sole guest appearance, as Gab teams with labelmate Vursatyl of Portland’s Lifesavas. The two deliver the strongest pure verbal displays on the album, utilizing winding, complex delivery as they offer jaw-rattling verbal haymakers over an itchy guitar sample. “Shots to your noggin, you ducks wallow in raw feathers,” Vursatyl raps. “War of the words, your meaning mumbling is more for the birds.”
The emotional core of 4th Dimensional Rocketships is found in its final stretch. It features some of the most affecting material Gift of Gab has released, addressing his relationships with others and himself. Gab writes to his soon-to-be-incarcerated nephew on “In a Minute Doe.” He delves into their shared history and encourages him to “stay strong and take in all the knowledge that you can” while in one of the worst places in the world. “This ain't goodbye, all it is just a test to make you stronger,” he raps. “Be a soldier, from here we only move forward.”
Gift of Gab gets introspective on “Moonshine,” as he chronicles his struggles with depression, substance abuse, and otherwise destructive behavior. He explains how he found the inspiration to get his life in order after fully appreciating the impact his music has on other people’s lives. Gab speaks of how music played an intrinsic role on his road to self-discovery on “Ride On.” “When I write it’s like I get a greater sense of who I am,” he explains. “Way beyond this life and death, every moment is new again.”
Even the “emcee shit” during this stretch conveys Gab’s sense of purpose. “Evolution” features an absolutely dizzying performance from Gab, acting as “a true and living verbal master related to take it where a lot of rappers ain’t able to take it.” The second verse by the “syllable senator” is particularly stunning to behold, as he relentlessly delivers streams of interlocking rhymes in a manner that is almost overwhelming.
Independent hip-hop music that requires the listener to actively participate in the listening experience was not in short supply during the mid 2000s. That being said, few rappers were as charismatically mesmerizing as Gift of Gab. He spoke to the transcendent power of music while pushing the barriers of how to stylistically express oneself on record. He challenged his audience to come with him to another level with 4th Dimensional Rocketships Going Up. Hopefully, we got the message.
Listen: