The Art of Translation

Critical reception

Awarding the album four stars at AllMusic, Dan Leroy writes, "They're hot here, on the most potent antidote to hip-hop's parade of pathologies in some time." Deborah Evans Price, reviewing the album for Billboard magazine, states, "Each track reverberates with personality and passion". Writing a review for CMJ New Music Monthly, Jessica Koslow says, "GRITS have crafted a successful formula for mixing the secular and spiritual." Demarco Evans, giving the album four and a half review from HipHopDX, responds, "these southern cats have brought something new to the table--and we ain't talkin' about no catfish and macaroni & cheese."

Tony Cummings, rating the album a nine out of ten for Cross Rhythms, states, "Coffee and Bonafide as usual transcend the stifling formulaic patterns of much low-budget hip-hop and fuse funk, rock and vintage soul music into their mix though this time out there are less of those vibey Coltraine-esque jazz touches which transfixed us in the past." Awarding the album four stars at Jesus Freak Hideout, Kevin Chamberlin writes, "the album is very good." Russ Breimeier, giving the album four and a half stars from Christianity Today, says, "If The Art of Translation doesn't make Christian hip-hop viable, I'm not sure anything will." Indicating in a three and a half star review for The Phantom Tollbooth, Ken Mueller states, "GRITS is at their best when the deliver their message in a more upbeat presentation, but they have just the right mix of semi-hardcore/street sense and pop rhythms to really make a dent in the music scene." Mike Rimmer, signaling in a five star review at The Phantom Tollbooth, writes, "GRITS have the chops to be a Platinum act without compromising their integrity."

Track listing

1. "Here We Go" - 3:19
2. "Ooh Ahh" (featuring TobyMac) - 3:53
3. "Runnin'" (featuring V3) - 4:05
4. "Tennessee Bwoys" - 4:05
5. "Be Mine" (featuring Nirva Dorsaint) - 4:22
6. "Ill Coined Phrase" (Interlude) - 1:08
7. "Seriously" - 3:41
8. "At the video shoot" (Interlude) - 1:28
9. "Video Girl" (featuring Knowdaverbs) - 3:50
10. "Believe" (featuring Jennifer Knapp) - 3:19
11. "What Do You Believe?" (Interlude) - 1:34
12. "Get It" - 3:52
13. "Make Room" - 3:31
14. "Keep Movin'" (Interlude) - 1:02
15. "Sunny Days" (featuring Nirva Dorsaint) - 3:39
16. "Lovechild" (featuring Antonio Phelon) - 3:28
17. "The Art of Translation" (Interlude) - 2:57