Beyond The Turntable

Two years after the Momentum DVD, Toby McKeehan returns to the music charts with another quality hip hop/pop rock CD. Guests include his son Truett (TruDog), T-Bone, Superchic[k], Coffee (from Grits), and best of all for dc Talk fans, Michael Tait and Kevin Max. The latter reunite on a remix of Atmosphere, heard earlier on this CD; dc Talk fans will consider the remix to be the "real" version.

Toby starts The Slam with defiant rap rock a la Fred Durst or Kid Rock and is joined by T-Bone for a song that's sure to be popular at concerts. The final lines reflect the flavor:

We slam dunkin' and keep it jumpin' like jumper cables / And keep the crowd rowdy like Jesus tossin' them temple tables

At almost an hour long, Welcome to Diverse City offers plenty of top-notch music, mixed in with some humorous moments, such as Gotta Go, a phone call-based portrayal of Toby's hectic life as a performer, father, and executive with Gotee Records. The title track reflects TobyMac's desire that Christians unite regardless of their skin color or cultural background. With a wife from Jamaica and adopted African-American twins, TobyMac has proven his committment to diversity in the real world. He isn't merely mouthing platitudes when he calls for unity in diversity. Even his band features musicians from a variety of backgrounds (see my concert photos).

As Toby states in Hey Now, "It's been a long time comin' but I'm serving up the sequel"; his many fans will find that Diverse City was worth the wait.

Visit: TobyMac and ForeFront Records.