reviewed in the advocate by kurt b. reighley — november 2005

fault, lies, and faultlines

on his second full-length cd, transgender ftm rapper katastrophe (aka rocco kayiatos) shines as bright as any mtv rap luminary but does so by flashing lyrical skills, not expensive bling. a veteran of the slam poetry scene, katastrophe may be quick-witted, but he distinguishes himself by varying his flow, from the tongue-twisting ("break down") to cough syrup-slow. with a penchant for odd timbres (the pizzicato strings on "the life" sound like greek restaurant ambience) and stripped down beats, musically fault stays in step with trendsetters like missy elliott and the neptunes. but the factors that make this disc truly remarkable, besides its star performer, are the qualities that differentiate it from mainstream hip-hop: progressive attitudes about sexuality and gender and a succinct but action-packed running time of 46 minutes.