Listen: Let Everything Go - @keysera_; A Niles P. Joint

Keys Era has been quiet for a few months, but certainly not unproductive.  The Chester, PA emcee decided to remind everyone of how dope she is with her freshly released joint Let Everything Go.  You can tell by the cover art that the song is decidedly weed-scented, but there’s more depth than that.  Keys serves enough food for thought for anyone with the munchies.  Over a beat that’s skyscraper high, she ponders the effects of hangers on when she’s in need herself.  “Soon as you start making your own wave, people try to hop in” she laments, while understanding that it’s up to her to sort the real from the fake.  This song is perfect while you relax in A/C in the dog days of summer.  Check it out after the break.

#ICYMIMonday: Feelin It - @SamadSavage; A Niles P. Joint

Samad Savage has become one of New Jersey’s most prolific rappers. Already having released at least two loosies, a freestyle mixtape, some guest verses, and a popular hometown glory music video, he just keeps on pushing. This time, he’s back with his new single Feelin’ It. The catchy and synthesized affair damn near perfectly encapsulates the feeling of having a crush on a woman. Partially inspired by Kanye West’s Stronger (lyrically speaking) it expresses yearning to build with her and simultaneously prove yourself, but much more fun than whiny. Samad Savage looks to be on the cusp of blowing up and this song in particular really exhibits his star potential. Take a listen to Feelin’ It for yourself after the break.

Review: Telefone - @Noname; A Niles P. Joint

Anticipation is a muhfucka.  In the time of instant gratification and surprise late night album releases, people will clamor even more for the latest project from their favorite especially if it’s been awhile.  So while Noname (formerly Noname Gypsy) set a release date for her debut Telefone, expectations were at an all-time high.  She made her bones with a stellar guest verse on fellow YOUMedia alum Chance The Rapper’s Lost on his 2013 breakthrough mixtape Acid Rap.  Soon after, the Chicago wordsmith was dropping loosies left and right while coyly hinting towards her first project.  She was elusive for three years, adding and deleting new songs from SoundCloud while not setting a release date.  So when the big day came on July 31^st, it had been a long time coming.

I was pleasantly surprised to see that all but two of the songs were brand new and even those two had been released this year.  The tone is set from rip on Yesterday.  She introduces herself with her trademark existentialism over Common-like electric keys.  I’ve been hard on theMIND previously but he really impressed me with his contribute on Sunny Duet, which is a cheerful love song that replicates the butterflies you get when you’re around that special someone.  Diddy Bop is Noname’s tale of growing up that’s rife with synths and chimes straight out of an after school special.  Raury and Cam O’bi contribute a hook & a verse respectively to a song that’s as hazy as VHS tracking. 

All I Need came out in January, a time before Noname and Xavier Omär (formerly SPZRKT) changed their stage names.  It’s still crisp and fits in the tracklist tonally with its description of love’s wish list.  On Reality Check, we get some background as to Noname’s thought process and trepidation relating to her career.  It’s refreshing how she reveals her vulnerabilities & hope.  Eryn Allen Kane & Kenya bring it all together with an inspirational chorus and outro vocals.  The first song she released post name change was Freedom Interlude, another well placed song in Telefone’s DNA.  It’s two verses plus a clip from a Nina Simone interview about freedom, apropos to the song because Noname uses an unorthodox song structure.

Gun violence is the topic of the short yet potent Casket Pretty.  While I initially interpreted it as a reference to the dangers of Chi-Town, it could also be about police killings.  Either way, it’s moving in its sorrow on the loss of Black lives.  You’ll get early 2000’s vibes on Forever, which is thankfully effervescent.  Ravyn Lenae steals the show with an airy & lovely hook & Joseph Chilliams impressed me with his guest appearance.  Noname’s genius is displayed on Bye Bye Baby as she makes the heavy subject of abortion seem less daunting with sentimental albeit soothing vibes with music and lyrics.  The same feat is achieved on Shadow Man as she, Saba, Smino, & Phoelix paint a picture of their funerals without being overly morbid or drab. 

The wait was excruciating, especially because in her baker’s dozen of songs before, she had never dropped a wack song.  It’s great to see her progress as an artist, as she sounds less like a poet (which is how she got started) and more as a rapper.  Noname sounds more comfortable in her bars and flow.  The only real issue comes in the production, which is excellently done, but at times is on too even of a keel.  While the aforementioned 13 released songs before had a medley of horns, violins, guitars, samples, dirty drums, fun basslines, and other sounds, mostly everything on Telefone is beholden to the electric organ and synths.  Again there isn’t a bad song or instrumental on here, but the overall tone doesn’t move much.  This does make for some good however, as nothing feels out of place.

Noname is like the offspring of a sensitive writer type and a manic pixie dream girl, to use film tropes.  She’s sincerely soulful yet never loses her childlike sense of wonder about the world, even in the gloomiest of subject matter.  In trying to compare her to anyone else, I couldn’t, because her style is so unique.  She does seem to embody the soul of the Windy City the same way as the living legend Common.  At the same time, her exceptional talents fit in well with Chicago’s rap bohemians (think the brothers Bennett, Mick Jenkins, Vic Mensa, Jamila Woods, Saba, amongst others.)  Keeping in mind that it’s her true debut, Telefone is a great conversation piece for the rest of the world.  Let’s just hope doesn’t wait another three years to give us a call.

Rating: 4.0 out of 5.

Stream and download Telefone for free via SoundCloud here.

Listen: This Bitter Land - @fatbellybella & @Nas {Written by: @Natural_Nation}

The Land, a motion picture connecting the likes of Nas. Erykah Badu, and Machine Gun Kelly, is set to release on July 29th across parts of the country. The film has made an appearance at the critically acclaimed Sundance Film  Festival and has already received outstanding reviews. The film is a story of brotherhood tied together by a skateboarding set against a troubled scene in Cleveland.

Recently released is a song from the motion picture soundtrack called This Bitter Land.  It is produced by Nas and JB Bontemps. The track is a flawless collaboration between Nas and Erykah Badu, a beautiful slow building song with derelict undertones and emotion hanging on every word. The album is also set to release this Friday, July 29th with a list of featured artists including Kanye West, Machine Gun Kelly, Pusha-T, Dave East, and Jeremih to name a few.  This Bitter Land is currently streaming on Soundcloud, Take a listen below.

Review: A-F-R-O POLO - @AFROALLFLOWS & @marcopolobeats {Written by @Natural_Nation}

If this is your first time hearing the name A-F-R-O, I am delighted to be the one to introduce you. Last thursday, on July 14th, west coast rapper A-F-R-O released a join project with producer Marco Polo called A-F-R-O POLO. What makes this project and this particular rapper special is his talent, his style, and his age. There's a story here so sit back.

I first recall hearing about A-F-R-O (All Flows Reach Out) on facebook. I had come across a video series called Uncharted which was created by the digital media company Uproxx. Uncharted covered A-F-R-O in a previous episode but the one I happened to watch covered two "new school" artists (Afro and Nghtmre) who would be attempting to record a track directly to vinyl.

With Vinyl being something of the past and considered vintage (although making a slight comeback via Barnes & Noble,) everything is typically accessed online now. Either streamed or downloaded. Even CD's are becoming obsolete, so recording straight to vinyl is a concept that is rather foreign to new age artists, making the video an incredibly interesting process. Right away I was surprised by how much old this young man sounded. Everything from the bass in his voice to the clear old school hip-hop influence in the way that he put together his words and his flow. Going back to do my research I realized that his kid hadn't even broken the age of 18 when he was first discovered. RA the rugged man stumbled upon him a couple years prior in a music contest. A-F-R-O had the ability to freestyle about anything without the slightest hesitation and that small aspect of his abilities carried him to the eyes and ears of thousands all over YouTube. Homie is dope point blank gunshot period and this EP is the perfect display of his talent.

A-F-R-O POLO is a six track EP with the addition of two bonus tracks that you can access when you download or stream the EP from any retailer. As much influence as A-F-R-O has by various oldschool hip-hop artists it is peculiar that my mind gets pulled to the images of Method Man and Redman when I listen to this rappers music. I'm not sure if it is the instrumentals combined with his flow but something in there reminds me of those two. Overall the EP is top-notch and concise; and as a I said before a great introduction of his capabilities. A-F-R-OPOLO brings it back to the vocals. When the way you put words together was more like a poem than a battle rap. Afro brings the focus back to the lyricism and you can hear it woven through every track on this EP.

 My particular favorites are Swarm, Sunshine and Flowers and, Use the Blues. Pharoahe Monch makes a guest appearance on Swarm and Eamon is featured on the last track of the EP called Use the Blues. Sunshine and Flowers has that classic west coast hip-hop sound, reminiscent of the G-funk or Gangsta funk era commonly heard among artists like Dr. Dre and Snoop. Although they all have that old school flare each song carries a different sound. As a listener that is not always something that is easy for me to find. A-F-R-O is currently working on the release of his first album and when WTM gets more information we will be sure to let you know. Check out A-F-R-O POLO below.
Rating 4.7 out of 5

Listen: Go Off - @MIAuniverse {Written by @Natural_Nation}

For her latest single new Sri Lanka/London native rapper M.I.A. has teamed up with Skrillex and Blaqstarr, two American DJ and producers, for her newest song called Go Off.

This latest track will be appearing on her upcoming album called AIM which is set to drop September 9th. The song first premiered on BBC's Radio 1 show Annie Mac last week. Go Off fashions M.I.A.s signature upbeat tempo under an array straight forward lyrics and extremely catchy chorus. A visual was released along side of the track displaying a continuous stream of dirt explosions. I'm sure it has some deeper meaning that she will explain at a later date but I must warn you, to the average viewer the video will be extremely uneventful. I have been a fan since the release of Galang back in 2005 so I am eagerly awaiting the release of AIM in September. Until then, enjoy her latest single Go Off.

Review: HEAVN - Jamila Woods (@duhmilo); A Niles P. Joint

It’s inevitable that while writing album reviews, you’ll come across more than a few albums to which you don’t relate. Not everything is going to be from or marketed to someone in your exact same demographic. Your job as a writer, however, is to see past that and appreciate the music for its artistry while still recognizing its message. This was the case when Chicago soulstress Jamila Woods released her debut album Heavn. The free project is a de facto musical tribute to Black Girl Magic and while there are certainly some esoteric elements that come with that, it is one of the most complete R&B/Soul albums you’ll here this year, if not this generation. It’s essential listening for 2016, especially in the current climate.  

Listening to Heavn for a few days straight, I didn’t catch this on my first few spins. It’s actually a loose concept album that follows the journey of a Black girl from childhood on. Bubbles is the first track and introduces Woods’ sweet (but not artificially so) voice that seems to float through the song. It continues with VERY BLK which takes a playful cadence heard in blacktop chants and uses it to talk about police brutality. The enigmatic & rechristened fan favorite NoName contributes a verse. It’s an upbeat song that’s like a Black Lives Matter primer that also introduces the periodic in-song interludes that explain the next track. Lonely Lonely is a slower and more somber duet with Lornie Chia that shows a strength in self reflection even the worst days. Things pick up with the title track as Woods yearns for the simpler elements of love.

While In My Name clocks in under two minutes, it’s still one of the most passionate on the album. It covers both getting someone’s complicated name right (an issue among POC) and not calling one out their name in any arena. Blk Girl Soldier exemplifies he plight and simultaneously celebrates the strength and resiliency of Black women, offering tribute to those in history that “taught us how to fight.” A song titled LSD featuring Chance The Rapper isn’t about acid but instead a tribute to and defense of Chicago (LSD is Lake Shore Drive in this case).  Emerald St. is a more localized companion piece, this time featuring Saba. Both are excellent in encapsulating the essence of Chi Town and all the good things when the rest of the world seems intent on making them the example of a bad city to prove a misguided point. Woods and friends certainly make their case.

Having two songs in a row with connecting themes continues. Lately is a song about loss that has one of the most powerful lines I’ve heard in “You are the library burned/ But they can’t take the lessons I learned.” It’s melancholy but much needed as it’s a fact of life we all deal with. Donnie Trumpet of The Social Experiment lends his self explanatory talents to Breadcrumbs. This one is about dealing with a grandparent that’s suffering from dementia or Alzheimer's. It’s more specific and heart wrenching than the previous track but they work together in a moving & sentimental way.  

You’ll hear the most crisp guitars of all time on Stellar, which interpolates the incubus song of the same name. It’s another short song, but it hints to something much more grand. Although Holy has some religious undertones, it’s enjoyable regardless of your faith as it illustrates the value of self-love in the face of adversity. It has the potential to brighten your day every single time you listen to it. The culmination of the entire album is Way Up. Woods seems to describe herself and Black women as a whole as not transcendent, but outer worldly.  When you consider the full essence of both, as displayed on this album specifically, she’s right.

As much as I try to stray away from hyperbole, Heavn just may be the best album of the year across all of the genres. Jamila Woods has crafted a masterpiece of a concept album that has several sub concepts within and still has insane replay value in each song. She also manages to tap some of Chicago’s hip hop bohemians (NoName, Chano, Saba, & Trumpet) for her cause, ensuring that this album will be historically remembered as one of the city’s best. In a time where it’s very much needed, she gives hope and inspiration to Black girls everywhere through her music while also making something accessible to everyone due to the album’s aural mastery. This is one of those things that I’m going to send to EVERYBODY, my sisters, friends, classmates, co-writers, etc. because in all honesty, everyone needs to hear it.

Rating; 5 out of 5.

Listen: Welcome To America - @SamadSavage; A Niles P. Joint

To say the least, last week was mentally and emotionally exhausting.  Police in three separate states unjustly shot and killed three men:  Delrawn Small of New York; Alton Sterling of Louisiana, and Philando Castile of Minnesota.  Sterling and Castile died on consecutive days.  We’ve seen this movie so many times before, we’re weary of the premise.  No matter the name or location, it always ends with a murderous cop either being found guilty or not even being charged for killing a Black man or woman basically for existing while Black.  Add in a bevy of vital Black Lives Matter protests and conservative/racist douche bags trying to rationalize killer cops and you get the point.  This shit is so taxing on the psyche WTM took two unplanned days off, both out of respect for the recent victims of police violence but also because we were so affected by it, creativity was nonexistent.

Samad Savage didn’t rest though.  The Montclair MC wasted no time in addressing current events (“Three Radio Raheems in one week” as he cleverly puts it) in his newest song Welcome To America.  First of all, let me applaud him for using his artistic platform to not only address the current wave of police shootings but also how it plays into America’s systematic racism as a whole (extra credit for apologizing for previously eulogizing Mike Brown but not Sandra Bland.)  It takes courage for ANY artist to speak on a controversial issue.  Some seasoned veterans won’t even do it, and Savage carries the torch at the tender age of 20.  More importantly, he manages to make a track quickly without sacrificing quality.  He gets his point across eloquently and flows smoothly over a multifaceted instrumental by Precise Beatz.  Listen for yourself below.

Listen: White Collar - @shottaspence (prod. @DUCKOMCFLI) {Written by: @Natural_Nation}

Last night at 10pm New Jersey emcee Spencer Lee aka Shotta Spence dropped a new loosie called White Collar. Ever since I heard his name from a friend of a friend of a friend I had my eye out for his music, so when his track dropped last night, I was ready. Many of you may know Spence from his association with Ear Drummers or his endeavors in the fashion world working as a model, stylist, designer, and notable trendsetter. Participating in many fashion shows, one of his most notable events this year was appearing in Yeezy Season 3, a fashion show for Kanye West's 2016 clothing line that debuted this year in Madison Square Garden. With fashion at the forefront, allusions to his music have always remained fairly low key. So, who is this Asian kid rolling with Ear Drummers? The story goes that Spencer met Rae Sremmurd through a mutual contact and old highschool classmate from Jersey. He was commissioned to style the rap duo for their new music video at the time, back in 2014, Up Like Trump. After crossing paths with Mike Will Made-It it Spence has been rolling with Ear Drummers ever since.
If you have happened to pay a visit to his SoundCloud then you know that it's fairly barren. For some time now it has only been sporting one track that has now been replaced by White Collar.  Hearing his previous song I knew this was someone to look out for. So I come as a writer who is excited. But this is why I love being at the front end of the music industry and having my ears fall on music that is new and up and coming. There is so much talent out here ready to be heard especially in New Jersey, so being from Jersey myself and writing for a New Jersey based music blog, it's all love here.  Some music will fall through the cracks, some will be a trending topic, but quality separates itself from the pack. Quality grows roots not leaves and I can hear the time put in. The patience and discipline that comes from recognizing the power of timing and not releasing music before its ready just to appeal to fans or calm your own anxiety. Spencer Lee WILL pop just stay tuned and watch the up fall. In the meantime check out White Collar while we wait for his next project Upfall later in July.

Listen: Meat Cleaver - @BodegaBrovas feat. @JeanGreasy; A Niles P. Joint

While I’m all about positivity and shit in music, I gotta be honest: sometimes, inexplicably, I just want to hear some violent ass lyrics.  This time around, Bodega Brovas has me covered.  The rap trio of Travii the 7th, Keynote, and Headkrack actually hail from three different cities in three completely different regions (Chicago, Dallas, & The Bronx respectively.)  Their geographical differences don't matter, as they're still musically cohesive.  This shines through on Meat Cleaver, which has all of the violence, debauchery, and fun of a Tarantino flick within its bars.   The beat is a nice mashup of 60’s rock and tumbling drums.  To really kick it up a notch, they’ve enlisted underground legend Jean Grae, who might be the master of bombastic rap violence.  Her guest verse is the icing on the cake.  Meat Cleaver is the first single from the Bodega Brovas’ debut album L.G.A. (Loaded Guns & Alcohol.)  Peep game below.

Listen: My People - Joe College (@lowcollege); A Niles P. Joint

With the way viral marketing is set up in this day and age, rappers have taken to releasing songs as often as possible.  Joe College however, is an old soul and does things at his own pace, trends be damned.  He's back on the scene with My People.  On a beat by a rapidly improving QdottDavis, College subtly forges a pro-Black anthem by mixing around the way adoration with social commentary.  Being that it’s Joe College, his flow is still impeccably cool and has yet to be duplicated by anyone in the Garden State.  Despite the hiatus he’s back just in time to hold us down for the summer.  You can never quite tell what College has up his sleeve next, but this writer hopes that My People snowballs into a new full-length project.  Check it out for yourself below.

Listen: Parallel @davebspacedot (prod.@SangoBeats) {Written by @Natural_Nation}

On June 11th, Dave B released Parallel, a track put together by one of my favorite producers Sango.

These two artists have come together to make a smooth track reminiscent of something that could of been heard on Bryson Tiller's TrapSoul. The track features a sample of a woman speaking in a foreign language which fades in and out during the course of the song. Accompanied by 808's and a drum machine the entire song is an over all vibe banger. Fortunately, you can check out more music by both of these artists through Soundcloud. Enjoy.

Listen: Smoke Break - @StatikSelekt feat. @2chainz

Statik Selektah recently released a song called Smoke Break feat. 2 Chainz.  It starts off with a mellow, electric feel making it a classically chill head-nodding song . The unpredictable uses of the trumpet coming in and out of the beat leaves you wondering if you heard correctly. Seeing 2 Chainz was surprising since the two artists’ flow of music don’t really match, but hearing him rap on this beat made for an attractive vibe that is well appreciated. Overall the song is a great summertime feel as we get deeper into the warmer season.

Statik’s album “8” is set to come out soon, Check out Smoke Break via SoundCloud below.

Listen: Bad Boy on Death Row - @DaveEast feat. @TheGame; A Niles P. Joint

Harlem and Compton collide on wax, but it’s in the best way imaginable.  The new Dave East song Bad Boy on Death Row shares the name of the two labels that were at odds in the 90’s.  However, a mutual love of the culture unites him with The Game on this SoundCloud loosie.  There’s no gimmick, hell they didn’t even waste time with a hook.  Over a cool, calm, & collected beat by Buda & Grandz, the two exchange more bars than Halloween for almost four minutes straight.  No matter which coast you live, this is perfect for playing in your AC-infused car during the summer.  Just have a friend riding shotgun to hit rewind constantly, because these guys have way too many quotables to list here.  Gotta commend the Mass Appeal Records emcee East for challenging himself by hosting the lyrically underrated Game on a track.  In the end, they both held it down for their respective time zones.  Take a listen after the break.  

Listen: twoAM - @sza {Written by @Natural_Nation}

Last week, to my wonderful surprise, SZA released a track called twoAM. The song seems to be in no way related to her third up and coming project A. Posting the link for the song on her twitter this past Thursday she simply added "Lol Just for shits and gigs." The track is a remake of PARTYNEXTDOOR's March track Come and See Me featuring Drake. SZA seems to be speaking from the side of the female, similar to the way Jojo did in her rendition of Marvin's Room (Drake) back in who ever the hell remembers 2000 and something. I'm just really ready for this, anybody else?   

Listen: Living Single - @sherealtalk (prod. by @BLKTHEBEATMAN); A Nles P. Joint

SheReal is back with a new song.  I heard her perform Living Single at a show so it’s dope to hear the studio version, which is produced by Blk The Beat Man.  As you can deduce from the title, this one is peppered with references to the 90’s classic sitcom in its bars.  The Harlem rapper explained that she was inspired by the show that featured four intelligent, pretty, and ambitious women who always maintained a sense of unity (appropriate considering Queen Latifah was on the show.)  This reflects in the song’s essence, which has a sophisticated air throughout.  This track works dually as a tribute & concept track.  It’s not easy to pull off for most, but as previously noted, SheReal has the skills to pay the bills and makes it happen.  It was dope hearing this performed live, and it holds up even better on wax.  Check out Living Single after the break.

#ICYMIMonday: Birdy/Bandit - @WHOISCONWAY; A Niles P. Joint

While I was on hiatus, Conway The Machine was apparently working overtime.  The Buffalo/Griselda Records representative put out two songs which later appeared on a compilation mixtape of sorts.  Both were too good to pass up, so you’re getting a rare #ICYMIMonday double feature.  The first one was Birdy, named after the villain from the hood classic film Above The Rim.  Over production from Statik Selektah that’s nothing short of absolutely filthy, Conway lets the opposition know what time it is.  He does all of this while holding a “Razor in my jaw like Birdy.”  The shit talking he does it at the end carries a certain authenticity in its bravado.  

A few days later, he put out another loosie, this time with a beat from Nicholas Craven.  Quite a contrast in tone despite also being sample driven, Bandit is more deliberate in it’s pacing.  The lyrical content is similar, but this one has no hook as La Machina flows over a piano loop. It sounds like it could be played in an urban saloon on the rough side of town right until the toughest bandit from Buffalo walks through the door and shuts shit down.  It’s basically what happens musically on the track.

Check out both songs after the break and then go download 50 Round Drum.  It’s a compilation of Conway’s latest & greatest, including the above songs.  

Listen: $30 by @BIGKRIT {Written by: @Natural_Nation}

Last Friday, BIG K.R.I.T. released a freestyle titled $30. Initially released on SoundCloud, the track features the rapper over Kanye West's 30 Hours instrumental. 30 Hours was recently featured on Kanye's latest album The Life of Pablo. K.R.I.T.'s version pays homage to his journey thus far. He goes back through his past reminiscing about his struggles, many of which came from a lack of fiances. In the same stretch, he remembers the people who were there for him and intends to "pay" them all back everything he owes. The track is nothing short of the great quality K.R.I.T. always delivers. Take a listen after the break.

Review: Boulevard Blues - @TheRealTyJack & @SoULFULLnjn; A Niles P. Joint

The New Jeru Natives are continuing to musically fortify their stronghold on the state’s rap scene.  This time around they combine the talents of two of their best and brightest, singer Ty Jackson & emcee SOULFULL , for an EP.  When I first heard of the collaboration, titled Boulevard Blues, I honestly had no idea on how it would play out.  Throughout hip hop history, there have been a mountain of collabs between rap and R&B, but no one has successfully done it for a full project.  Additionally, this would be my first real introduction to Ty Jackson as I hadn’t covered any of his music for WTM before now.  So the five track project was as good of an opportunity as any to analyze both.

Despite being labeled as such, Blues Brothers (Intro) is a fully fleshed out song, and I’m glad they fleshed it out and didn't cut it short.  Ty Jack successfully fuses singing and rapping.  His voice has the melodic qualities to make this work.  It’s a lightning and thunder combination as SOULFULL finishes the track with his more traditional and trademark gruff bars.  It’s an early sign that shit’s gonna go well on the EP.  Truth has an early 2000s Neo Soul vibe and I didn’t know how much I missed that subgenre until I heard this song.  This joint will take you back to the days of big ass Rocawear belt buckles holding up oversized jeans with a garbage wash, haha.  The two artist’s chemistry becomes more apparent with each song.

Lifestyles continues along the same line while still maintaining it’s originally.  Using a smooth ass combo of guitar and other strings, they make a song that’s both easygoing & substantial lyrically.  It’s also worth noting that while primarily a singer, Ty is also a serviceable rapper.  We get more of a traditional R&B/Soul tone with Rock On.  It’s the closest thing to a slow jam that the EP has and I’m glad that they buried the lede and defied expectations.  The crown jewel of the whole joint is the closer, My Way.  The Franklin, NJ duo talks about their pursuit of careers in music and how their dreams conflicted with those of their parents.  It’s a moving theme set to melancholy music that anyone that’s went against the grain in face of their parents can relate to.  At the end they encapsulate it when Ty Jackson says he “just want to do this shit my way.”  It’s that balance between  the pain of letting your parents down with the resolve of making it on your own terms that’s makes the song a tour de force.

To say that this project surpassed my expectations is an understatement.  I was expecting a bunch of love songs and instead got some deep themes that brought back a nostalgia for an era I kind of forgot about.  More so, I knew SOULFULL was dope but I was very impressed with Ty Jackson’s skill set.  I would've been cool with him singing but he proved that he has the ability to hold his own as a rapper.  All of these things bode well for both artists and the New Jeru Natives as a whole.  They’re going to be hard to stop this year and beyond with all of the talent they have and how they're channelling it into great projects.  Now my only gripe with the project is the fact that I’m a greedy ass music fan and wish it was longer, but they traded quantity for unbridled quality and it made all the difference in the world.

Rating: 4.80 out of 5.

Stream Boulevard Blues on SoundCloud here.