Taylor J brought his laid back flow from St. Paul, Minnesota to Atlanta, and fits right in with the go-getter attitude that is prevalent among the younger generation.
Taylor J’s Control mixtape recently debuted, and as Big Play Studios hosted the listening party, many things came to light about the new artist and those who came to hear his story.
“Darwin’s Theory,” ignites nostalgic times in the listeners mind, connecting on to the other like we all grew up on the same block. As the music continues, Taylor J raps about living a double life as a young thug in the streets, and mom’s normal baby boy at home. One can’t help to reflect back to young Lil Jojo who was killed without his mother not having a clue about her son’s gang activity. The problem has existed for years, only to surface with the invention of YouTube thuggery.
Today’s young hip hop unapologetically wears skinny jeans, mixes trends, and meddles in herbal medicine. Their appreciation for what was is so overbearing, that they sew threads of their idols’ strengths into their own web of their desire to be heard. Hip hop millennials tread the thin line between what they have experienced, and where they want to be.
Like many young artists that have embraced new trends, Taylor J, briefly summarized as a smooth, deep-thinking young man with hood tendencies, explored other lanes on his mixtape. Leading us into “High Life” featuring Gorilla Zoe, Taylor J warns us that the catchy dance album is out of his comfort zone. Coincidentally, it is one of my favorite songs from the project.
Taylor J’s story isn’t much different from any other story, but his ambition sets him apart. His delivery, his ability to admit is wrong doings without sitting them on a pedestal, and his fluid transitions from singing to rapping drive him into his own lane. His ability to maintain control on his own project with features like Rocko, Cyhi The Prynce, and Gucci Mane gives insight into the fact he’s comfortable in his space.
Taylor J isn’t trying to save the world in one mixtape, but he’s adding to your journey’s soundtrack. His lighthearted raps about money, women, and fame is balanced with tracks about struggle, pain, and pressure. Control is another packaged ideal that reflects the change undergoing in our hip hop society.
Stand-out Tracks: Facts of Life, High Life, Behind the Lights
Taylor J’s Control is available for free download on datpiff.com.
