War of the Words

It is undeniable: Sage Francis thinks that he’s a prophet. There is a gap, however, between what he thinks of himself and how that image comes through on A Healthy Distrust. On his fourth album, he simply cannot escape the fact that he is a white rapper from Rhode Island. Expounding important views on politics, drug use and problems with the music business, Francis pokes holes in right-wing logic with intelligent execution. However, he lacks originality both in approach and delivery. His undeniable sense of self-importance and unfocused messages are what cost him points in the prophet department. He struggles and ultimately fails to overcome his novelty act status. On A Healthy Distrust Francis spins his lines over calculatedly gritty beats, but even the strongest tracks don’t make up for the album’s lack of direction.