Arkansas native Rasheed Jamal (a Portlander since 2008) might be my favorite rapper in townâhis âcountry rapâ pairs extremely personal lyrics with expert-level rhythmic delivery. Iâve watched Jamal continue to challenge himself with the complexity of his bars and intricate flow. Thatâs why he stuns the crowds at his shows, even when heâs not 100 percent perfect. It doesnât hurt that his even-tempered voice and slight rasp are easy to listen to, and Iâve never heard him yell-rap into a mic.
This month Jamalâs dropping Indigo Child, his follow-up to 2015âs SANKOFA. Its 13 tracks sound both gritty and inspired. âNever Die Aloneâ samples Nina Simoneâs âBe My Husband,â and depicts an intense modern-day romance characterized by âyou still up?â texts and eggplant emojis at 2 am.
On the standout âMuddy Waters,â Jamal offers his signature speedy and succinct bars, coherent flow, and clever wordplay. He unflinchingly addresses his haters, rough background, and determination to keep âclimbing up the ladder.â The songâs beat, produced by Lexi Banks, would do well in a club, though Jamalâs lyrics are often critical of the club rap scene.
Other highlights include the mellow âFWMâ and âWhatâs the Matter,â which features Jamal singing the refrain from Ashanti and Ja Ruleâs track âHappyâ as well as his own lines: âI got 99 problems nigga, leave me alone/âCause if I knock your ass out, you can tell me Iâm wrong/And you be causing more drama than most of these hoes/And the evils of the world got control of your soul.â
Dope one-off singles like âPause for the Cause (Bounce)â and the tribute âProdigy Knows Bestâ made the cut. Luckily, by the time he rocks the Thesis at Kellyâs Olympian next month, weâll all be up to speed.