It’s no longer news when an older rapper tells a compelling a story. Nas and Danny Brown have done a fine job of dispelling the notion that rap is driven by youthful energy alone. But Bronx rapper $amhill sets himself apart with an especially earnest coming-of-age story on his first solo release, The Preface.
With his opening bars, he pays tribute to his mother and sister and quickly shows you his world: “Picture me surrounded by lost souls and and firsthand gangster shit.” His matter-of-fact flow and immaculate delivery address trifling chicks and personal growth with the same heft while while free flowing soul beats evoke rap’s infancy rather than its golden age for a proper sense of nostalgia.
The conservative rap appeal is evident, but $amhill is more ambitious than that. “The Sam Hill Story” seamlessly walks through childhood, poverty, family, teen romance, loss, and legacy with seldom seen honesty and perspective. Usually, it’s an accomplishment when a song does one of those things.
Download:$amhill – The Preface
via unkut.com
[…] is welcome. Outside of his work with Mos Def, he produced two tracks on $amhill’s fantastic The Preface EP which remains one of my favorite releases of the […]