Prophecy Inspires Legacy

You could of given me the rest of the year to try and guess what this album was going to sound like and I still would of failed. This is an artist who is known for switching things up and bringing a different side to him with each drop but even for him this is left field and that makes me respect him that much more! Let’s talk about it!

This is the brand new album by MC -Tajh Malik with Producers such as
-Kevy Muzak
-Tajh Malik
-Jovarosx
And featuring -Africana!

And surprised would be the biggest understatement I could possibly manage to say about this album. I felt this from the first track until the last! When I heard those initial synth/auto tune -Travis Scott style vocals I knew I was in for something different and it was the definition of it!
This might not make sense until you listen yourself but Tajh sounds like he’s influenced from
-Drake
-Travis Scott
-Lupe Fiasco
-The Game
I can hear all these artists in this album with their own attributes being utilised by Tajh in his own way! From melodic and groovy notes from Drake & Travis to the complex lyricism of Lupe or the high charisma and rich flow of Game! He embraces it all in a more homepage-paying approach than a plagiarism campaign!

For example on the track -Temped I had the dancing prime Drake itch! And Tajh incorporating that half-singing, half-rapping performance to create a vibe that the real Drake hasn’t made in YEARS! He’s doing Drake better then the real Drake is!

On the song -Laughing I hear him embracing his -Game influence with that strong fluent rhymes that are associated with it’s own quirky theme such as the laughing tracks played at the start and the end of the track.
Plus that chorus aspect? ‘Either laughing with you or laughing at you’ the triple usage of ‘laughing’ is something Game would definitely do on one of his tracks!

Of course the intro track -Off The Jump he’s engaging in his ‘AstroWorld’ era atmosphere with that spacey, sci-fi mixed with auto-tune performance! That’s methodical in nature with a nice build-up across the song! Which was quite an interesting way to start the record off out of all the influences but it definitely stood out! So shout out for him!

When we discuss the production aspect, we talk about a score that is high in vibrant energy, colour and atmosphere! It’s as if he not only embraced the best ‘lyrical’ aspects of the above mentioned names but also their strongest production elements because every song on here feels like a chart-topping single ready for radio!

Easily (in my opinion) his best work in the instrumental department by far. It’s lavish, it’s mainstream coated, it’s boom Bap inspired, it’s rich in soulful melodies and infectious hip-hop trademarks that makes you feel like your listening to a greatest hits of the 2010’s but it’s just involving one rapper! The more I think about it the more ridiculous it is just how he (and the various producers) were able to create a soundtrack that represents the different phases of the last decade to such groovy and stylistic sonic expressions that it remains stuck in your head long after you finish the album!

If I had to choose my favourite beat on the album ironically it would have to be -Tempted! The Drake-inspired instrumental. There’s something about that rhythm and groove that I found so irresistible! From those two vocal snippets looped around the track, those quirky chords in the background, light keys, funky strings it all just comes together to create this dancehall vibe that left the most impression on me then the rest!

Although I couldn’t have guessed this is how it would sound, now that I have I have a new standard for Tajh going forward! Go run this one up!