First of all, what a dope concept for a title! Such a smart way to put that. We are able to cover two men who I have experience with! The producer who I first discovered a dope set of remix tapes and the MC who contributed dope albums in both the role of MC and producer! So with that in mind, let’s see what this duo has provided to the culture!
This is the 2021 album by MC Tajh Malik and Producer Jamar Johnson, and together they dropped a fresh 11 tracks, a 28-minute offering with the likes of
-Scrillmatic
-JovaRosx
And with just these two names alone, they come hot and heavy with arguably my favourite album of Tajh so far, and here’s why!
First of all, that production? I knew Jamar was good, but he really blew me away with this one! His most surreal line-up of beats I’ve heard from him yet, it makes the whole album feel larger than life and sonically succulent in execution! So many tracks gave me goosebumps!
For example, we have the track -The Struggle, which made me smile the moment the song hit. Those gorgeous jazz horns that go off in that rhythmic loop combined with those light and delicate piano keys and hypnotic drums! There’s also a hint of bass that blends itself tight in between all the other instrumentation!
Not to mention Scrill’s ridiculous verse!
There’s the track -Juice, which starts off with this almost joker-like laugh that evolves into this beautifully orchestrated track with those sharp string notes, more plucked strings, lavish drum beats, and a very light usage of piano keys in the background!
Although a more minimal offering, this one hits hard! From that brash intro snippet to the track itself, it all comes together great!
There’s also the track – Vista that has this beautiful vocal loop that just sets my mind at ease and made me feel like I was floating on clouds! That’s accompanied by somewhat sounds like violin, some flute samples I think? And some jazz-style drums that have a slower pace to them but hit the spot all the same! Jamar knows how to set the tone for an album and he’s giving us a masterclass on this one!
As far as Tajh goes, there hasn’t been a moment yet where he hasn’t impressed me and his streak continues with this one. Whether it’s regarding his smooth yet confident performance or his extraordinary knowledge of vocabulary or whether it’s the fact he has the ‘IT’ factor to be able to carry an album with very few or no features!
He’s a man who captivates the audience with his deliberate approach to his wordplay. His manipulation of the beats for his word sake, his sharp focus and precise timing when he drops his bars! He also has a sense of sensibility about him that makes me feel calm and comfortable around him.
Of course, listening to a hardcore rapper can give you hella adrenaline and provide more pumps at the gym, but there’s something refreshing about listening to an MC who provides the alternative energy!
He’s a compelling author with a delicate nature to him. Which isn’t a dig at the man, it just means he can glide across instrumentals with a reverence that most couldn’t have. Each verse feels like a poetry session. Relaxing, interesting, and engaging! He’s a triple threat of the highest order and I love it!
Also, as mentioned above, his chemistry is incredible! His song with Scrill and even his match-up with Jova made for yet more powerful emphasis on the songs that I enjoyed a lot!
A duo I never would have thought about until now but one I enjoyed thoroughly. Have you heard the album yet? What did you think? Let me know in the comments!
https://open.spotify.com/album/7qgBxwRCEFoV0uEcOU2Z1i?si=0YY6IMkHQViYWXmMicbVyw
The Serpent Tongue Reviews 