- 4,862
- 14
- Joined
- Jun 1, 2008
I threw this joint on my phone, went STRAIGHT to the crib...
Smoked a bowl and threw this joint on...
The presentation was appreciated from both a fans standpoint and an artist, it just shows the passion the N puts into his craft, there's not enuff of that in hip hop now, a we all know first imressions are EVERlasting, so for someone's first time hearin dude and seein all the extra effort he puts into it, they couldn't help but be inpressed... Provivded they didn't look TOO hard @ those SKIN-TIGHT jeans on the cover art
... Looked like one of the New Boyz went solo
, naw but forreal the first thing I thought of when I saw them nuthuggers was
On to the music...
Open The Door
Great way to start out, straight BARS... Got some $@+% off his chest that eas necassary for Ns to start takin notice... The line about walkin through "the hallways of life with my *!**## keys ginglin" was
4/5
All Things Go
Just has a 1995 feel to it, this is the type of joint that would've came on Rap City (when Joe Clair & Big Lez used to host) I'm sure I've said it before, but the visual was beautiful, the production is AMAZING, the imagary of the lyrics just shows the N potential is limitless. Not sure how its gonna work as a 1st single, but its a GREAT song regardless
4.5/5
Old Folks
I like this joint, its like futuristic sounding but still nastolgic @ the SAME time (if you get what I'm sayin)... The 1st verse is just a mirror image of exactly what happened with the industry, ESPECIALLY on the east coast, the south has floruished because of the older generation embracing the newer generation (regardless of how wack some of them Ns are). The 2nd verse is just somethin that needs to be said. Just from an inner city perspective, then you throw in the gang culture... Basically this was somethin tha NEEDED to be said. I could go on for a couple paagraphs (how I USED to
)
4/5
Keeps You Runnin
This joint is just DANGEROUS...
I stood up after like the first 6-8 bars... I usually give an album a full burn regardless of how dope a song is, I have to admit, I to rewind the 2nd verse of "Old Folks"... But this $@+%... This $@+% is just HARD... Like some stab your babysitter type $@+%... I'd honestly give this an 11 on a scale of 1-5
5/5
The Frozen Moment Interlude
This is the beat from the preview, no?? This joint is coo, not sure if it was neccassary tho... Not that its a bad song, but its just not what I was expectin to hear after the opening 4 jonts...
3.5/5
The Cusp
I'm goin keep it FUNKY... This was the first joint I had the desire to SKIP... But I listened, lyrically its as good as ANYthing on HERE or out THERE, but the track just isn't workin for me... The hook just doesn't do it for me...
3/5
Jesus Piece
Anita Baker sample... You almost had to kill this joint, I would've got a rental and drove to Cleveland first, then Chicago to curse BOTH you Ns out if you @%%$+! this up. This joint is just DOPE. The flow he rode on this was what I was lookin for. Just smooth, has that Diplomatic Immunity feel to it, but more 2011 with it. (I could see this workin as a single)
4.5/5
Aqua Flow (Caurant D'eau Turquoise)
The rappin was coo... Always like that Lebron line since the tipsey "Freestyle" vid surfaced... The beat isn't really doin it for me.
3/5
Make It Look Good (Feat The Boy Illinois)
I was excited for this joint cause it fatures my FAV artist on NT... The song is pretty coo... The production is DOPE... The hook is a lil suspect.
I wanted this to EXCEED the collaberations of the past, not sure if it did but it deffinetly is on THAT level.
4/5
R.A.C.E.
Always a fan of anthing that delves into race further than the surface convos... I didn't quite get another "Heathens" but this joint is jus AS if not MORE thought provoking... Could do without the singin
, tho
4.5/5
Under The Act
This is just a work of art, from the prodution, to the AMAZING imagry of the lyrics... I don't even have to say ANYthing else
5/5
Loubiton Blues
This track is just AMAZING, the way he took somethin that women value so much, and to draw a parallel between that superficial and the physical pain i which she endured to earn her way into those heels... This is just another joint that seperates him from 99% of everyone else on the mic. This is almost "Heathens" except focusing more on the insecurities within the women who bear the seeds... Yea its pretty deep, but still humerous at the same time.
4.5/5
Perfect Man
Kind of risky to sample a classic like "Umi Says" and turn it into an actual "rap" song, but it works... Has the futuristic sound of "Old Folk", lyrically its dope as hell, just has a real 2011 feel to it. The sample flip meets my approval. He shows a vlnerable side (surprisingly since he comes off as an arrogant @sshole through the majority of the tape
)
4/5
Close The Door
This joint is a PEREFECT way to end the joint... The Kennedy line (as previously pointed out by Dre), had INSTANT rewind value... I'm gonna gaurantee 9% of NTers smiled, and rewind that $@+%... The R&B hook somewhat works here (unlike "The Cusp"), the whole joint is just unadulterated HONESTY, somethin we rarely get from artists... The Derrick Rose line was DOPE.
4.5/5
OVERALL
Between this and Glory Or Death he showed A LOT of growth as a lyricist, MC and most importantly a rapper... It has a winter feel to it, as the visual for "All Things Go" depicts. The potential for Jewels as an artist is there, as far as natuaral talent and ability he's one of the BETTER dude out there, not sure if the big wigs will take notice, hopefully they do sooner than late.
The presentation is just TOP of the line... The attention to detail is admirable, the fact that the FIRST thing you hear on this is a door opening and the LAST thing is a door closing, somethin that small goes a long way... But the work put into this inspires me as an artist and as a person, like watchin ANYone thats great at what they do, you can't help but cheer for them, and try to find those imular traits in ones self to attain your OWN dreams and goals... Hopefully this project puts you one step CLOSER...
Stand Out Tracks:
Keeps You Runnin
Jesus Peice
Loubiton Blues
Under The Act
Close The Door
4.25/5
Smoked a bowl and threw this joint on...
The presentation was appreciated from both a fans standpoint and an artist, it just shows the passion the N puts into his craft, there's not enuff of that in hip hop now, a we all know first imressions are EVERlasting, so for someone's first time hearin dude and seein all the extra effort he puts into it, they couldn't help but be inpressed... Provivded they didn't look TOO hard @ those SKIN-TIGHT jeans on the cover art
Spoiler [+]
On to the music...
Open The Door
Great way to start out, straight BARS... Got some $@+% off his chest that eas necassary for Ns to start takin notice... The line about walkin through "the hallways of life with my *!**## keys ginglin" was
4/5
All Things Go
Just has a 1995 feel to it, this is the type of joint that would've came on Rap City (when Joe Clair & Big Lez used to host) I'm sure I've said it before, but the visual was beautiful, the production is AMAZING, the imagary of the lyrics just shows the N potential is limitless. Not sure how its gonna work as a 1st single, but its a GREAT song regardless
4.5/5
Old Folks
I like this joint, its like futuristic sounding but still nastolgic @ the SAME time (if you get what I'm sayin)... The 1st verse is just a mirror image of exactly what happened with the industry, ESPECIALLY on the east coast, the south has floruished because of the older generation embracing the newer generation (regardless of how wack some of them Ns are). The 2nd verse is just somethin that needs to be said. Just from an inner city perspective, then you throw in the gang culture... Basically this was somethin tha NEEDED to be said. I could go on for a couple paagraphs (how I USED to
4/5
Keeps You Runnin
This joint is just DANGEROUS...
I stood up after like the first 6-8 bars... I usually give an album a full burn regardless of how dope a song is, I have to admit, I to rewind the 2nd verse of "Old Folks"... But this $@+%... This $@+% is just HARD... Like some stab your babysitter type $@+%... I'd honestly give this an 11 on a scale of 1-5
5/5
The Frozen Moment Interlude
This is the beat from the preview, no?? This joint is coo, not sure if it was neccassary tho... Not that its a bad song, but its just not what I was expectin to hear after the opening 4 jonts...
3.5/5
The Cusp
I'm goin keep it FUNKY... This was the first joint I had the desire to SKIP... But I listened, lyrically its as good as ANYthing on HERE or out THERE, but the track just isn't workin for me... The hook just doesn't do it for me...
3/5
Jesus Piece
Anita Baker sample... You almost had to kill this joint, I would've got a rental and drove to Cleveland first, then Chicago to curse BOTH you Ns out if you @%%$+! this up. This joint is just DOPE. The flow he rode on this was what I was lookin for. Just smooth, has that Diplomatic Immunity feel to it, but more 2011 with it. (I could see this workin as a single)
4.5/5
Aqua Flow (Caurant D'eau Turquoise)
The rappin was coo... Always like that Lebron line since the tipsey "Freestyle" vid surfaced... The beat isn't really doin it for me.
3/5
Make It Look Good (Feat The Boy Illinois)
I was excited for this joint cause it fatures my FAV artist on NT... The song is pretty coo... The production is DOPE... The hook is a lil suspect.
Spoiler [+]
4/5
R.A.C.E.
Always a fan of anthing that delves into race further than the surface convos... I didn't quite get another "Heathens" but this joint is jus AS if not MORE thought provoking... Could do without the singin
4.5/5
Under The Act
This is just a work of art, from the prodution, to the AMAZING imagry of the lyrics... I don't even have to say ANYthing else
5/5
Loubiton Blues
This track is just AMAZING, the way he took somethin that women value so much, and to draw a parallel between that superficial and the physical pain i which she endured to earn her way into those heels... This is just another joint that seperates him from 99% of everyone else on the mic. This is almost "Heathens" except focusing more on the insecurities within the women who bear the seeds... Yea its pretty deep, but still humerous at the same time.
4.5/5
Perfect Man
Kind of risky to sample a classic like "Umi Says" and turn it into an actual "rap" song, but it works... Has the futuristic sound of "Old Folk", lyrically its dope as hell, just has a real 2011 feel to it. The sample flip meets my approval. He shows a vlnerable side (surprisingly since he comes off as an arrogant @sshole through the majority of the tape
4/5
Close The Door
This joint is a PEREFECT way to end the joint... The Kennedy line (as previously pointed out by Dre), had INSTANT rewind value... I'm gonna gaurantee 9% of NTers smiled, and rewind that $@+%... The R&B hook somewhat works here (unlike "The Cusp"), the whole joint is just unadulterated HONESTY, somethin we rarely get from artists... The Derrick Rose line was DOPE.
4.5/5
OVERALL
Between this and Glory Or Death he showed A LOT of growth as a lyricist, MC and most importantly a rapper... It has a winter feel to it, as the visual for "All Things Go" depicts. The potential for Jewels as an artist is there, as far as natuaral talent and ability he's one of the BETTER dude out there, not sure if the big wigs will take notice, hopefully they do sooner than late.
The presentation is just TOP of the line... The attention to detail is admirable, the fact that the FIRST thing you hear on this is a door opening and the LAST thing is a door closing, somethin that small goes a long way... But the work put into this inspires me as an artist and as a person, like watchin ANYone thats great at what they do, you can't help but cheer for them, and try to find those imular traits in ones self to attain your OWN dreams and goals... Hopefully this project puts you one step CLOSER...
Stand Out Tracks:
Keeps You Runnin
Jesus Peice
Loubiton Blues
Under The Act
Close The Door
4.25/5
