CD Review: The Vessel – Serita Campbell

The Vessel – Serita Campbell
3G Records
2005

Serita Campbell’s nickname “Versityle” fits her well.

The Vessel, the fourth and latest CD from Serita Campbell, a Milwaukee-based singer, songwriter, producer, and now president of her own label, 3G Records, is all about musical versatility. Imagine Mary J. Blige or Lauryn Hill singing for the Lord, and you have a good sense of The Vessel.

The project is an even-handed mix of hip hop accoutrements: heavy beats, raps, and even some Snoop Dogg slang while Campbell spits lyrics with an intensity that is fresh and never overbearing.

While “Rollin’ with Christ” is arguably the CD’s best track, with effective rapping contributed by Dirty Redd of Blood Related, “I’m Sorry” gives Campbell a chance to wrap her vocal muscles around a gospel ballad. Listeners will also enjoy “My Testimony,” which is just that: Campbell’s story told in rap.

Despite my love for traditional gospel, I respect and enjoy the work of musicians who push the envelope. Campbell’s The Vessel is different, edgy, always enjoyable and never boring or repetitive. It infuses hip hop into the sacred in the same way that Dorsey infused blues into the sacred. Artists like Serita Campbell are moving the music forward, and that’s exactly what any art form needs.