Two words kept ringing through my head while listening to M9′s “Magna Carta” and it’s the thing that had me going back to it again and again. “Old School.”
It’s been a while since I’ve heard a hip hop album that was so laid back and pitch perfect in its goal that it’s very refreshing. There’s so much going on here, it’s quite fun. Wherever he’s getting his inspiration I’m not 100% certain, but it’s some good, powerful stuff. The album as a whole has a very chill vibe. If I were having friends over or looking to just kick it on a weekend night, or even just to take a drive let go, these would be my jams. This feels like the stuff I grew up with. There’s a slow, smooth jazz vibe that sets the tone for the whole album and lets you know what you’re in store for.
If a hip hop album can relax you successfully, it’s a rare thing. And what it benefits most from is the fact that it’s M9′s debut LP. A lot of the time, but no always, an artist takes their first full length album as an opportunity to really communicate and say something important. One of the concluding tracks, “Colour Blind”, stands out as an incredibly moving and important track about human nature, about the misdeeds we do that can hurt those around us or, on the flip side, the good deeds we can perform to lift others up. Considering the title of the album is “Magna Carta”, it’s safe to say he’s not holding anything back when it comes to declaring how he feels about the world around him. As a result, no track is lifeless and no moment is wasted as theme takes precedent. When an artist understands how to weave emotion and meaning into an album successfully while simultaneously making it one of the more enjoyable hip hop records of the year, that’s quite a feat.
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