Serving the Lord and testifying the whole way, Christian hip-hop artist Sho Baraka gets more aggressive with his Gospel on this second effort, Lions & Liars. Radio don't play us/Television mock us/The truth is still spreadin'/There's no way they can stop us, he declares on key track Shut Us Down, and throughout the album he takes a you're either with us or you'll suffer the consequences stance. Putting some serious power behind the rapper's quest to convert the world are crunching rock guitars and Flo Rida-styled club tracks plus an all-star Christian rap guest list that goes from Lecrae to Tedashii. Even on this stately and purposeful album, the clever Sho still lets some levity in, shining and smiling on the fourth-quarter highlight Kobe Bryant on 'Em, which features the non-denominational gem When life throws you curveballs/Nolan Ryan on'em. - itunes
