Ecid epitomizes everything people complain about when debating white rappers' merits.

First, he sounds excruciatingly Caucasian, both in his inflection and prose. It wouldn't be a gigantic overgeneralization to say white rappers lean towards themes such as vulnerability and self-deprecation. To repeat the common argument: They whine too much. In his thin, high voice, Ecid straddles this line for nearly an hour on his debut solo full-length CD, "Biograffiti."

On "Retirement Party" Ecid raps: "I just turned 22 and all I got left to look forward to is retirement and death/Most people in my life probably think I need a job/And maybe they're right but that don't mean I'm gonna nod." Ecid's rhyme skills aside, his philosophy on life seems downright insulting assuming the New Brighton native has more going for him than many other people. It's these deceiving lyrical juxtapositions that make taking Ecid seriously difficult.

It's no wonder the best track is one with Ecid unafraid to talk about so-called "white" subjects. "Normalton, USA," is a back and forth suburban sketch with Fill in the Breaks Records label mate Impulse. Ecid and Impulse catalogue a litany of suburban quirks from the rich family who can't stop adopting orphans to the chubby neighborhood bully who, in a strange twist, dies of bulimia.

Ecid's production may not be groundbreaking, but its piano heavy samples are unique and the breakbeats pulsing. The tracks flow smoothly with the one complaint being the common hip-hop album caveat: It's too long (Ecid's voice and syncopation start to grate around the 45 minute mark). Ecid isn't afraid to spill his guts on record, but for the listeners' sake, maybe he should turn down the personal vindication a notch.

Intriguing CD, but hard to classify as entertaining.

www.myspace.com/ecid