In this episode of the Beers, Beats & Bailey podcast, we talk briefly about the mid-February trailer drops for “Zack Snyder’s Justice League”, “Disney’s Cruella” and “Mortal Kombat” and the official disbanding of the iconic electronic music duo Daft Punk, in addition to reviewing the Hulu/FX/New York Times’ documentary “Framing Britney Spears”, Trinbagonian rapper DNA_868_MUZIK’s latest EP “I AM 868”, the action horror flick “Willy’s Wonderland” and the Oscar-worthy drama “Nomadland”.
“These Minnesota Blues” is the sophomore album from Minnesota rapper, singer, songwriter and producer Asomniatic, and a follow-up to his 2017 debut “In These Storms, Horizons Sing”. With that particular record, he brought a collection of moody, spacey, piano and synth-driven instrumentals to the table (which were actually released as an instrumentals-only companion piece to said record) along with emotive, poetic, oftentimes cryptic lyricism.
Similar to Lupe Fiasco’s “Tetsuo and Youth”, Asomniatic used the four seasons as act breaks on “In These Storms, Horizons Sing”, beginning with summer and ending with spring, with the final song being the final act, conclusion and open ending, all at once. He also used the ‘feelings’ one would associate with these seasons (liveliness in summer, stillness in winter etc.) to express his desire to return to his hometown of Duluth, despite the emotional and socio-economic ups and downs of living there.
With “These Minnesota Blues”, the thematic focus centers on….you guessed it…..Minnesota itself. Utilizing the same act structure of his last record, it begins in Duluth, proceeds to Minneapolis and pretty much stays there until the end. Instead of seasons, the album presents us with the title “Minnesota Blues”, with each act highlighting some form of reminiscence, regret, loss or pain.
But what makes this album truly special compared to its predecessor is how true-to-life (as opposed to relatable but ultimately personal) it is. And when a certain 2020 incident is brought up and used as the CONFLICT in the album’s narrative, that’s when the title takes on a different meaning. Long intro aside, this is Asomniatic’s take on the murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis less than a year ago, and how it impacted his life and the state of Minnesota as a whole.
With the subsequent listens I gave “These Minnesota Blues”, I do wish the album’s conflict was hinted at or at least brought up earlier in the narrative. To the album’s credit, the narrative isn’t designed as a detailed account of George’s murder and the Minneapolis –Saint Paul protests which followed. What is presented here is a personal viewpoint from someone who left his hometown seeking a better life, only to hang his proverbial hat in the city which sparked protests (and in some cases, riots) the world over due to the unlawful killing of an innocent African-American man.
We do get a couple hints of the oncoming threat, the first presented on the Act 2 instrumental/ interlude “Minnesota Blues: In Minneapolis” through a snippet of a news report from the first night of the protests. The second hint is brought up on the track “Grandpa Jack’s Riff”, which is easily one of the album’s biggest highlights, thanks to its fusion of country and blues music (with the inclusion of a fiddle and harmonica in the overall composition) and low-register drawl delivered by Asomniatic. Here, he plays an elderly man who warns Asomniatic to “be careful of the city”(I couldn’t help but be reminded of Bilal’s ‘grandma’ character in Kendrick Lamar’s “Institutionalized” track from “To Pimp A Butterfly”….more on that album in a bit). The song concludes on a chilling note with the ominous “You’ve been warned”, a phrase which re-surfaces twice on Acts 2 and 3.
The preceding three tracks (“Minnesota Blues: Where I’m From”, “If I’m Back with You” and “Sunset Over Superior”) establishes the semi-autobiographical role Asomniatic plays on the album: an artist with dreams of heading to the big city to pursue his musical career. The first lines of “Where I’m From” sets him up as someone who wants to take his distinct sound beyond the border of Duluth (“I’m not the Minnesota type / A small towner who likes large crowds and / towns that are countless, found my sound in / crowns of mountains, bound by lakes, just thousands”). Asomniatic’s mellow, lo-fi backing instrumental, which brilliantly sets the album’s tone, is slightly tweaked on the second and third act breaks to heighten the tension of the aforementioned conflict.
“If I’m Back with You” works in tandem with “Sunset Over Superior”, as both tracks use the metaphor of a broken relationship to emphasize the doubt and concern Asomniatic feels for leaving his hometown. Like “Grandpa Jack’s Riff”, both songs utilize live instrumentation (keyboards, guitars, drums etc.), giving them a breezy, home-grown sound and vibe.
On the flip side, the first three tracks in Act 2 (“One Wednesday in the City”, “Manhattan Project” and “Never was a Time”) highlight an actual relationship….which is also broken. In a nutshell, Asomniatic’s girlfriend leaves him for someone else – an end result of the neglectful, cynical attitude he gained since moving to Minneapolis. The production brilliantly reflects the ‘change of scenery’ from Duluth to Minneapolis with its slightly rough, intentional DAW-designed beats (like the nocturnal “One Wednesday in the City” and the glitchy “Manhattan Project”). And though Asomniatic frames himself as the guy who tried to make things work despite his emotional failings, he subtly makes it clear that his disconnection from the relationship stemmed from the harsh environment of the city itself.
And this leads to the interlude/Act 2 conclusion “The Other Blues”, where on the intro, Asomniatic articulates the rising tension in Minneapolis while foreshadowing the chaos to come once it reaches its boiling point: “Smell the wood in the wind / Felt the heat on my skin / Someone said it’s all on fire / Think it’s always been”. Afterwards, we get a sonic montage of news clippings related to the George Floyd riots, bookended by the “You’ve been warned” line from earlier. This song represents a major shift on the album, as the musical tone switches to a harsher, more ‘traditional’-sounding hip hop sound which makes up the ‘entirety’ of Act 3.
The Act 3 intro track “A Riot” foregoes the singular ‘interlude’ approach of the first two acts and gives us an actual song backed by an extended version of the beat used in “Minnesota Blues: Where I’m From” and “In Minneapolis”. Asomniatic treats us to a cynical, chaotic portrait of the riots, with an anthemic hook which perfectly sums up the way many people looked at law enforcement before, during and after the Black Lives Matter rallies of 2020. He continues his vicious criticism of the police on the following track “They Always Were Monsters”, whose lyrics sound even more dark and despairing than they really are, thanks to its bouncy, playful, synth-heavy instrumental. The temperature rises (both narratively and tonally) on the penultimate track “The Devil in You”, which combines aggressive lyrics and a haunting hook (which references the similarly-haunting “The Devil knows the Bible too” line from the “For Sale?” interlude off “To Pimp A Butterfly”) with a harsh, climatic, boss-level-sounding synth beat.
The album’s final track “Embers Over Minnesota” can be viewed as the conclusion of Act 3 and the end of the overall story, but like “In These Storms, Horizons Sing”, I also interpret it as the beginning of something new and unrealized. Opening with a complete version of the song from “The Other Blues” and punctuated by a few, emotionally moving audio snippets, Asomniatic gives us a reflective, disenchanted instrumental, creating a sonic visualization of the fiery aftermath of the riots. He ends the song on a quiet, melancholy coda, hinting at the uncertainty he feels moving forward from such a tragic event as George Floyd’s murder. Where the album stops, it leaves the faint possibility that an event like this will never happen in Minnesota or elsewhere ever again. But it also leaves Asomniatic at a crossroads: stay in the place which negatively impacted his present and possible future or return to his hometown in an attempt to regain the joy of his past.
In short, “These Minnesota Blues” takes one of 2020’s most devastating events and uses it as the groundwork for a deeply personal, incredibly moving dedication to the state where it occurred. Its combination of various musical styles from hip hop and chillwave to pop rock and country will appeal to listeners with a large-enough musical palate. Its lyrical density may be intimidating for some, but I can safely say it’s one of those albums which reveals something new and profound with each and every listen. If you’re looking for some variety in your hip hop music – with a dash of socio-political subject matter, then I highly recommend giving “These Minnesota Blues” a listen!
OVERALL RATING: Light to decent 4 out of 5 stars.
Now available on Apple Music/ iTunes, YouTube, Google Play, Spotify and Bandcamp
In this episode of the Beers, Beats & Bailey podcast, we make mention of the Andrea Bharatt funeral, the 2021 Soca Monarch finals, the firing of actress Gina Carano by Lucasfilm and the allegations against writer/director Joss Whedon, in addition to reviewing the fifth season of the sci-fi series “The Expanse”, Season 1 of the newest ‘Peanuts’ TV series “The Snoopy Show”, the romantic drama “Malcolm & Marie”, the documentary “MLK/FBI” and the long-awaited biopic “Judas and the Black Messiah”.
“The Implementer” is the fourth album from Downey, California rapper, producer and founder of the upcoming hip-hop collective DRODIANS (I’ll be using all caps for this word going forward, simply because the way it’s emphasized on this album, it’s clearly MEANT to be in all caps), Aaron Lucas a.k.a. Killahronh. With three 2020-released albums under his belt, Killahronh has been doing his damnedest to make his DRODIAN brand a go-to for pure, unfiltered hip hop. And on “The Implementer”, he enlisted the services of fellow emcees Sneek Rothstein, Urg7, Kurupt, Irie2012 and Lyricks, along with producers Too Nasty (who raps on two tracks), Dios Negasi (who raps on one track), Legion Beats, Anno Domini, Crank Lucas and Jiz’Dro, to help bring his brand to the masses.
On the opening track “Barakah (Drodian Maestro)”, Killahronh delivers a one-verse introduction to his witty, cocky, punchline-heavy lyrical skills over what sounds like a contemporary take on a 80s b-boy battle beat. Interestingly, the track begins and concludes with a fiery, rock-inspired drum solo. This is an allusion to the song “Guns & Butter” (which shows up later on the album) which Killahronh ends with the following bars: “I’m hip-hop but I’m not / I grew up with the genre but immersed myself in rock”
Those two bars help set up the main theme of the album and Killahronh’s artistic mission statement: staying true to hip-hop while developing his own style and creative approach to the genre. Though Killahronh frames himself as a die-hard fan of rap music – even going out of his way to name-check a number of iconic emcees in the second and third verses of “Guns & Butter” – that’s not to say his journey to becoming an iconic emcee himself will play out similarly to his hip hop role models. The days of simply spitting a great 16 to get your name out there is over – and he knows it! But going back to that drum solo, Killahronh also uses that to establish the unpredictability of this record. And while there isn’t anything groundbreaking or experimental going on here, there are certain moments that – for better or worse (more on the latter in a bit) – will let you know that this isn’t your standard rap album and that DRODIAN itself is far from your average brand of contemporary rap music.
Getting the major flaw of “The Implementer” out of the way, I felt that this album was a bit too reliant on skits. Mind you, there’s not a lot on the album, but you can’t help but feel the album’s momentum slow to a halt when they show up. There were a couple that were pretty decent like the two “Beat Speaks” skits, which centered on a fictional hip-hop game show (on what hopefully will become a reality – DRODIAN TV) which ends with a DOPE-ASS instrumental from Too Nasty. And I did appreciate the “Boondocks” excerpt involving the fan-favourite character Uncle Ruckus placed at the end of the politically-charged, social commentary track “Mlk”. But I’d really like to know the context behind the use of a SNL Weekend Update excerpt featuring Colin Jost and Kenan Thompson (doing his ‘best’ David Ortiz impression) at the end of “Reppin’” and an almost four-and-a-half minute excerpt from a Kraig Smith “Roast Me” compilation (from the All Def YouTube channel) at the end of the final track “Talent”.
Flaw aside, “The Implementer” treats listeners to one dope joint after another, with solid production and wordplay on each of them. After “Barakah”, we get “Drodian Membership”, a Wu-Banga-esque posse cut over a triumphant, grandiose instrumental where Killahronh, Too Nasty, Irie2012, Kurupt and Sneek Rothstein compliment and top each other in terms of razor-sharp, fist-to-face bars. Killahronh delivers one of my favourite lines on the album when he spits: “Fucking with the best because there’s levels to this shit / Do you got the time? Don’t check your wrist….bitch!”
The guest rappers / DRODIAN members on “The Implementer” all do their damn thing on this record! Sneek Rothstein, who managed to conclude “Drodian Membership” on a strong note, does the same on one of the album’s major highlights, “Rap Lives Matter”. Its beat alone is guaranteed to draw attention and make heads nod automatically, with its interpolation of the same segments from David Axelrod and David McCallum’s “The Edge” used in the TIMELESS Dr. Dre banger “The Next Episode” over some thick bass and trap drums. Both rappers take shots at popular yet untalented MCs who could care less about carrying on the tradition of hip hop’s forefathers. Too Nasty comes through with a solid verse on “Da Engineerz”, matching the braggadocious direction of Killahronh’s bars and the bouncy, trunk-rattling beat excellently. But the MVP award goes to Lyricks who, on “Reppin’”, delivers my favourite guest verse on the album! Over the track’s soulful, jazzy, 90s-inspired instrumental, which Killahronh flows effortlessly over, Lyricks truly lives up to his moniker with rewind-worthy bars (like the hilarious #SurvivalSection moment in his verse) and an overall charismatic demeanor.
Killahronh continues his self-aware critique of the reality behind the modern rap industry on the track “Crypto Ninjas”. Featuring a stellar verse from Urg7 and a moody, horn-assisted instrumental, he warns up-and-coming rappers to be wary of shady…..*ahem*….”ninjas” who promise fame and wealth but are quick to bleed an artist dry. On the aforementioned album closer “Talent”, Killahronh delivers some insightful and truly impactful lyrics centered on the low probability of success you can attain in life despite the high level of talent and skill you may possess. This track caught me completely by surprise as the idea of not succeeding in the music biz is far from the most popular song topic out there. But there is an undeniable level of honesty to this song, and backed by a slightly upbeat, R&B-fused instrumental and a soulful hook by guest crooner Jiz’Dro, it’s a bittersweet but appropriately self-aware way to conclude the album.
However, the true highlight on the album for me was “Drodian Lore”. Here, Killahronh tells an epic, adventure movie-inspired, overly exaggerated and intentionally ridiculous tale of how he became the de facto leader of the DRODIANS. What drew me to this track, and literally had my jaw on the floor from the first second, was the use of the masterful music composition “Road to Chicago” as the instrumental. That particular song, composed by the legendary Thomas Newman, is the main theme to one of my all-time favourite movies (and my top favourite Tom Hanks movie, if I’m being honest) “Road to Perdition”. Hearing that over a rap narrative that references (almost) everything from “The Last Samurai” to the Jean-Claude Van Damme classic (yeah, I said it) “Bloodsport” was truly mind-blowing! Some listeners may find “Drodian Lore” too silly to sit through, but I’d make the argument that this track, above all others on this record, shows the creativity, wittiness and, like I said earlier, unpredictability one can expect from a DRODIAN release.
Despite the lulls brought on by some of the skits, “The Implementer” is still a well-crafted, well-put-together and highly-enjoyable album. With this being my first listen to Killahronh and some, if not all (as yet), of the DRODIANS, I was thoroughly impressed by the rapping, production and overall creativity brought to the table. Killahronh’s self-conscious maneuvering through the hip hop landscape, fueled by his artistic influences, adds a sense of authenticity to this record. And I imagine once he clears a path for himself and his DRODIAN crew, there’s no telling how big of an impression they’ll leave in the rap game. But in-between time, if you’re looking for versatile production and thoughtful, top-quality lyrics from start to finish, I strongly recommend giving “The Implementer” a listen!
OVERALL RATING: Strong 3 ½ to a light 4 out of 5 stars.
For my first hip hop-based Retrospect Review of 2021, I, along with Trinidadian rappers/producers Micwsie and Doe Boi, review “The Score”, the landmark sophomore (and FINAL) album from New Jersey rap trio The Fugees.
“Spiral Bound Dreams” is the sophomore album from Detroit rapper, producer and YouTube / Twitch gamer ItzDupe (pronounced “It’s Doop”), and a follow-up to his impressive 2018 debut “Nm, u?” (that’s “Not Much, You?” or “Nothing Much, You?” to you non text-savvy readers out there). From the jump, what intrigued me with this record was the album cover, with its notebook page background and the central image of a HB2 pencil with a microphone head replacing the eraser.
Right there and then, I got the notion of the type of project “Spiral Bound Dreams” was going to be; something more personal and introspective than your typical ‘money, sex, clothes, guns and drugs’ rap album. Most importantly, given the thought and creativity behind that cover, along with ItzDupe’s hushed, subdued vocal delivery and razor-sharp bars, the album itself had to be funny, witty and self-aware of its own unconventionality.
And that’s pretty much what we get here. While it doesn’t do anything too unique, provocative or adventurous with regards to lyrics, themes and production (which clearly isn’t the intention), this album gives listeners an insight into the mind of a guy who loves hip hop as much as he loves video games, writing his thoughts and opinions on everyday life and being goal-oriented onto the pages of his notebook and – as all individuals with passions and dreams ponder at some point in time in their lives (trust me, I know): will it be all worth it in the end?
Tackling subject matter like that can be tricky, especially in a medium where one simply wants to enjoy dope bars and beats. Similar to Eminem (whose lyrical influence you can hear sporadically throughout the album), ItzDupe incorporates dark, self-deprecating humour into his rhymes to inform listeners that this isn’t your “I have everything and you don’t…..bitch” type of rap music.
He kicks off the opening track “Set the Alarm Off”, whose ominous, piano-laced beat sounds like the type of music you’d hear at the beginning of a robbery scene in a movie, with the following lines: “Sometimes, I run around like a chicken’s head got cut off / Get the bucket out, straight from the slaughterhouse”. Similarly, he opens the following track “Appendix” – whose beat sounds like a level from a circa-90s video game – with that twisted sense of humour: “Make you sicker like a parasite could / You shit your liver out, better wipe up”. This song in particular has some of my favourite bars on the album, from ItzDupe’s rejection of shallow hip hop tropes (“Self-destruct so I can rebuild / No one can fuck with my free will / Oh, you want drugs and some females / Wait ‘til Cardi B slips you the sleep pills”) to the “Sometimes love’s like appendicitis” (which – let’s be real – is TRUE) line on the hook and even that “Bought a Superman punch, it’s a beverage” line that always cracks me up every time I hear it.
Thankfully, it’s not all dark humour on this album, as there are moments where ItzDupe touches on the worth of self-motivation and sacrifice despite the challenges life throws at us. On the track “Loon”, one of the more dynamic songs on the album thanks to its lively instrumental and catchy “I go fucking nuts” chant on the hook, he spits “I’m young but I feel like I’ll drop any minute, it’s harder to be an optimist / I come from a place where you work for the State or you be an illegal pharmacist”. As the hook suggests, he’s willing to put his all into his craft, even though, at the moment, he’s a “diamond in the rough”. Likewise on “Commodity”, with its low-key, non-grandiose instrumental (instead of the horn or piano you’d expect from a similar-themed, bigger-budgeted song, we get synths) and mantra-like hook, we get a despondent yet determined ItzDupe questioning the value of sacrifice in achieving one’s – or someone else’s – dreams.
As life teaches us – it’s about the journey, not the destination. And ItzDupe wisely frames himself as someone who doesn’t know where his journey to greatness will take him but is willing to keep moving forward. The single “Slow Learning” (one of the album’s best tracks), shows ItzDupe at his most self-conscious, as he raps about dealing with doubts and concerns regarding his artistic life path. The following interlude “Prime Example”, which features a somber, guitar-laced beat, shows how easy defeat can deter us from our goals regardless of how ‘well-prepared’ we may be. And yet we must be willing to pick ourselves up and continue the journey, a point which is articulated brilliantly on the single “The Voyage”.
Despite its personal, ‘solo’ approach to its subject matter, the album does manage to squeeze in a few guest performers to add some verbal variety. In terms of rapping, Rino (whose flow always reminds me of Freddie Gibbs every time I hear it. That’s a compliment, by the way), delivers a solid verse over the track “Radiation”, Dzan effortlessly rides the quirky, harmonica-supported beat of the closing track “Exile”, and Kid Vishis absolutely SNAPS on the song “Small World, Big Intentions”, exuding tons of cockiness, wit and charisma on his verse (like when he spits “Tell these sensitive thugs they need hugs on my OVO shit / Beef I ain’t stoppin’ ‘til it’s over with / BLAOW!! Now it’s over with / Now your soldiers know who not to soldier with”. On the singing side of things, vocalist Hila Assor delivers a beautiful chorus over the warm, sonically pleasant (despite the song’s title and themes of the value of time and danger of procrastination) instrumental of the single “Winter Nights”.
As a whole, I found myself really enjoying and appreciating “Spiral Bound Dreams”. Its minimalist, non-flashy production won’t be for everyone, but if you look at it from a DIY, ‘hand-drawn’ perspective (it makes thematic sense that the album cover, promotional artwork and even the tracklist incorporate, in some shape or form, a pencil and paper), you can acclimatize to it. ItzDupe’s bars are sharp, humourous and insightful, and his on-the-road-to-winning, underdog personality is both relatable and endearing. With some solid guest features, standout bars and resonant themes of pursuing one’s aspirations despite the odds, this is a considerable improvement over “Nm, u?” and a well-assembled and executed record overall. If you’re a fan of alternative hip hop, or you’re looking for music with substance to listen to during your gaming, I highly recommend checking out “Spiral Bound Dreams”!
OVERALL RATING: Decent 4 out of 5 stars.
Now available on Spotify, iTunes/Apple Music and Amazon.
In this episode of Beers, Beats & Bailey, we acknowledge the influence of the late, great actress Cicely Tyson, comedienne Cloris Leachman and calypsonian Singing Sandra, make mention of the recent trailer for “Godzilla vs. Kong” and the finalized release date for the FOUR-HOUR “Justice League: The Snyder Cut”, and review Season 3 of the hit series “Cobra Kai”, the rags-to-riches drama “The White Tiger”, the western drama “News of the World” and the neo-noir thriller “The Little Things”.
“L.I.F.E. – Living in Fragile Environments” is the 14th studio album from Sacramento independent hip hop vet Mr. P Chill. With every listen I gave “L.I.F.E”, my mind kept going back to that number: 14. Excluding mixtapes and EPs, most, if not all, rappers would be lucky enough to see their album output reach the “teens” during their lifetime. Of course, it takes more than access to in-demand producers and interpolations of trendy rap flows and subject matter to keep one’s career afloat for decades. There must be an undeniable passion for that craft; a passion which matters more than album-equivalent units, popularity and even fame. Another important aspect to consider in terms of a lengthy discography and career is…..well…..life itself. How’s life treating you and the ones you care about? Are there issues in the world you need to address through song?
Mr. P Chill brings both aspects to the table with “L.I.F.E”, along with a level of maturity and self-awareness one would expect from a 46-year-old rapper. Unlike other rappers past the age of 40, he shows little to no concern for discussions on “top 5 best emcees” lists and “G.O.A.T.” statuses. Additionally, he doesn’t present himself as bitter or regretful over the trajectory of his near three decade-long career. Though he’s in a reasonably comfortable point in his life with his wife and cat (more on that in a bit), his passion for pure, unadulterated rap music is still there – and it shows throughout the entirety of this album.
“L.I.F.E” begins with “This Circus”, which features a string-assisted, boom-bap beat and, in one of my favourite moments on the album, a GORGEOUS string-and-horn melody laced with a bluesy, male vocal sample. Here, P Chill reflects on the stress he endured and struggles he faced in his career, and how fortunate he is to continue living his musical dreams. This track transitions smoothly into “Home”, where P Chill raps about acquiring some much-needed rest, relaxation and relief at….you guessed it… home. “Searching” (not to be confused with the CLASSIC Pete Rock and CL Smooth song of the same name) finds P Chill dropping jewels on the importance of defying odds in order to find one’s purpose, meaning or truth in life. Not only does it have one of my favourite beats on the album with its nocturnal, hypnotic sound and vibe, but if features one of my favourite lyrical moments as well: “So stay stronger than strong, the strongest strength, what have you / If the road’s too windy, choose another avenue / Nobody but you gets to choose what you do / And it’s nobody’s fault but your own what you go through”. As someone who frequently ponders on the value of my chosen career and life paths, those lines REALLY impacted me!
I already reviewed the following track “Diggin’ (Crate Digger’s Anthem)” – which was the A-side to a promotional digital album featuring the politically-charged “Millions of Militants” – in a recent post. But what I can say for those who haven’t heard these songs is that they both SLAP!!
Another political song on “L.I.F.E” is “Freedom”, which features a dramatic, haunting beat and a poignant yet beautiful female vocal sample. On this song, P Chill tells two stories concerning freedom; the first dealing with a single mother and her son who literally walk away from a rough neighbourhood in search of a better life, and the second centered on a Black Lives Matter activist involved in a peaceful rally that, unfortunately, turns violent.
While those two songs spoke on the social ills which existed before and during the recently-concluded Trump administration, the three preceding songs (“Morning Coffee”, “Social Distancing” and “Where do we Go?”) are focused – both subtly and explicitly – on the COVID-19 pandemic. On the surface, the relaxed “Morning Coffee” (which features an adorable, blink-and-you-miss-it ‘cameo’ by P Chill’s cat) involves P Chill thinking out loud on the passage of time, health care, finances and other things one may ponder on while sipping on some coffee and reading the newspaper. However, with the quarantine guidelines we all followed in 2020 regardless of job essentiality, the scenario and thoughts presented on this track are quite relatable.
On the single “Social Distancing”, which makes a FANTASTIC transition from the previous track through a montage of news snippets, P Chill raps about the many things he was unable to do due to the pandemic, from touring and visiting friends to hitting the bar and buying records (the latter being a clever reference to “Diggin’”). Along with a witty, sharply-written verse (points for that Onyx reference, by the way) from guest rapper Craig ‘Cee Knowledge’ Irving (formerly known as Doodlebug from the iconic jazz rap trio Digable Planets) and a half-bluesy, half-fanciful instrumental, this song perfectly sums up how we all felt about and continue to deal with the Coronavirus.
Mr. P Chill amps up the blues on the next single “Where do we Go?”, which features a mellow, guitar-driven instrumental and a simple, disenchanted hook sung by P Chill himself. On this track, he contemplates the sad and sorry state of the world (further amplified by the pandemic) and suggests that we all learn to love and help each other. He also expresses his desire to use his platform to lead others away from misery and strife and into love and happiness, though he doesn’t know where the proverbial “promised land” is.
The final two songs (“Subliminal” and “Reflections”) help bring the album to a truly satisfactory close. The former features a rhythmic, 90s-esque beat which incorporates jazzy horns, a dub/reggae drumbeat and some DOPE-ASS scratches courtesy of guest DJ Mike Colossal (who also worked on “Millions of Militants”). P Chill teams up with guest rappers J. Smo and AlphiyOda1 on this track, and together they share their thoughts on how they deal with the unpredictability of life and the chaotic world in which we live in. The latter, however, treats us to a laid-back, silky-smooth instrumental which P Chill puts to great use. Here, he closes the album on a thoughtful, grateful note as he raps about appreciating where he’s currently at in his life and acknowledging the ups and downs it took for him to get to that point.
Overall, I truly dug “L.I.F.E. – Living in Fragile Environments”. Mr. P Chill sticks to his guns in terms of his boom bap-inspired beats and golden age hip hop-inspired rap flows and songwriting. And yet they don’t sound outdated or irrelevant, thanks to the album’s relatable subject matter and socially-conscious thematic approach. Whether you’re a die-hard hip hop head, a ‘grown-man’ rap aficionado, or a fan of music with heart, meaning and wisdom (which, as we all know, comes with age), “L.I.F.E” is certainly worth checking out!
OVERALL RATING: Decent to strong 4 out of 5 stars.
Now available on all digital platforms, and on CD and vinyl at select retail stores and on Mr. P Chill’s official website – mrpchillmusic.com
“American Descendant of Slavery” is the debut album from Chicago-based R&B singer/ songwriter Terry Blade. Recently, I covered his debut EP “Misery (Mastered for Headphones)”, which subsequently became one of my favorite EPs of 2020 thanks to its therapeutic songwriting, low-key, guitar-driven production and resonant themes of self-doubt, insecurity and emotional isolation. As a gay, African-American musician, Terry also addresses issues affecting the black and LGBTQ+ communities through his music. And with his debut album, he does exactly that, but through the perspective of slavery and its reverberations on modern American society.
The album uses audio recordings of both former African-American slaves and their descendants (sourced from the American Folklife Center at the U.S. Library of Congress) as interludes before and after certain tracks. Each recording uses at least one startling, provocative and oftentimes poignant moment as an indicator of what to expect in the subsequent song.
Take the opening song “INward” which segues after an interview focused on arguably the most impactful side-effect of slavery: the re-interpretation of the derogatory term “nigger” to the commonplace, socially ‘acceptable’ slang “nigga”. Here, Terry pulls off a balancing act with both versions of the ‘n-word’, using them to praise black progress, pride and identity amidst systemic inequality, while simultaneously chastising those who remain ignorant to sexual and gender minorities and view them in a similar manner to that of white Americans towards black people during and after slavery.
This is the first of two songs that incorporate subtle vocal and musical elements of hip hop, and though I couldn’t help but compare the production style and Terry’s vocal inflections to rapper/producer Tyler the Creator’s work on “Flower Boy” (one of my favorite albums of the 2010s), I love how both tracks offer a bit of variety to the R&B, soul and jazz-fused soundscapes presented on the album. Like “INward”, the track “Reparations” utilizes smooth, breezy, synth-assisted production to deliver harsh, cynical, brutally honest views on the black experience. It uses an all-too-familiar scenario of racial profiling as a springboard for Terry to indignantly demand….you guessed it…..the reparations rightfully owed to slaves and their descendants for DECADES now!
Other tracks focused on the aftereffects of slavery include the single “Black Hurts”, whose bluesy production perfectly matches Terry’s disenchanted lyrics on the seemingly endless pressures of being black, and “I Want it Back”, a bitter yet beautifully-sung, acoustic guitar-driven indictment on the appropriation of black culture. And then there’s “They Must Be Kin”, a song that, upon first listen, may feel a tad bit stark due to its atmospheric production (introduced in the interlude “Clean the Table”) and spiritual-like song structure. Thematically, this is the album’s mid-point as Terry recalls the moment when he realized, through some old photographs in his grandmother’s room, that he too is a descendant of slaves.
Gender identity is also addressed on the album, beginning with the story-based track “MTF” (or ‘male-to-female’). Here, Terry tells a heartbreaking story of a trans sex worker whose goal to raise money for a sex change is cut short after she violently defends herself against an abusive client. Coupled with some terrifically soulful production, this vivid, true-to-life narrative is a major highlight on the album.
“Mr. Robertson” and “Ms. Mizell”, the latter of which also touches on gender identity, are the most personal – and best – tracks on the album. Dedicated to his absentee father, “Mr. Robertson” finds Terry articulating the resentment he feels towards the man who left him and his mother to fend for themselves. The album’s most disturbing interlude (“Papa was the Overseer”) hints at what might have been his father’s reaction to him coming out as gay, which Terry does to his mother on the incredibly moving “Ms. Mizell”. Terry effectively re-creates the nervousness and fear he must have experienced at that life-changing moment, along with the eventual relief and joy he clearly felt after his mother’s acknowledgement.
On its final two songs (three if you count the bonus track “Crawling” – more on that in a bit), the album’s expansive focus stops at a smaller, intimate scenario: that of Terry and his significant other. Over the serene and genuinely beautiful instrumentation of “Same Gender Loving”, Terry expresses the genuine love he feels for this man. Unfortunately, in a similar vein to “Misery (Mastered for Headphones)”, Terry finds himself all alone when his lover literally ‘ghosts’ him on the track “The Silent Treatment (Shivers Remix)”. This song has my top favourite beat on the album, with its chill-hop sound, wavy synths and relaxed, nocturnal vibe.
Though part of me feels like this particular track doesn’t fully connect to the album’s overarching theme of slavery, it does however serve as an impetus for the final two tracks – “Who Cares for Me?” and the aforementioned “Crawling”. The first is the recording of a spoken-word piece from a young black man about his desire for someone to support him emotionally through the uncertainty of life. Sure, he can rely on his parents, but it’s obvious that one day, like their parents before them, they’ll eventually die. The latter is a piano and vocal cover of the classic Linkin Park single “Crawling” that I did NOT see coming at all! Terry’s soulful take on “Crawling” serves as the album’s coda (its allusion to the late, great Chester Bennington adds an extra layer of poignancy to this track), replacing the original’s underlying theme of drug addiction with the systemic racism, discrimination and lack of emotional support many African Americans, regardless of gender identity and sexual orientation, must face on a daily basis.
As a whole, “American Descendant of Slavery” is a FANTASTIC record! With every listen I give it, I find myself more and more impressed by the care and craft put into its construction, from its emotionally-driven production and insightful, heartfelt lyrics to the consistent, complex and thought-provoking subject matter presented throughout! Terry truly outdid himself with his debut, and I can’t wait to see where his career takes him from that point. In-between time, if you’re looking for potent, politically-charged, socially-conscious, LGBTQ+ R&B and soul, definitely give “American Descendant of Slavery” a listen!
OVERALL RATING: Light 4 ½ out of 5 stars.
“American Descendant of Slavery” is now available on Apple Music/iTunes, Tidal, Amazon Music, SoundCloud and Deezer.
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