Hi there, everyone. Thank you for visiting our blog. We are showcasing Graphene, a New York-based artist today. Graphene is a poor Flint, Michigan boy who trained for the NFL, attended an Ivy League school, and has been juggling his ambition of being a hip-hop artist with a corporate job. On May 17, he released an amazing record. “Life’s a Bar” is the title of the 16-track album. Let’s discuss the album in more detail.
The album begins with “Life’s an Intro”. The song combines what various people feel or describe life as. Some focused on the good aspects of it while others focused on the negative side of life. The beauty of the song’s lyrics is that everyone had something different to say about life and these lyrics are built upon this beautiful piano melody. The song gives you a sense of the album’s message
The next song is called “New KOAT”. The song talks about this African American man who has decided to live life to the fullest (“my ancestors born with a cotton mouth so I’m a speak for them, eat for them, be they wildest dreams”). The song goes on to describe a very confident persona as Graphene spits bar after bars
“Broken Watch Broken Phone” This song is a double feature on the same song. We get to hear Graphene rap about two different topics in a very unique way. You hear bar after bar, double entendres, and his lyrical genius on this particular track
“Nana said…READ” is the name of the next song. The song is a conversation where the character’s grandmother encourages him to read and the power knowledge holds
“810” is the title of the next song. This song has a thumping beat which you hear throughout the song. The song is about the neighborhood where Graphene was raised and where their choices were very limited. The song reveals a little bit of Graphene so we can understand him better. He mentions survivor’s guilt which reminds me of Kendrick Lamar who also has shared that he struggles with as well and how he wishes he could help all of his friends out of the hood so they don’t die
Next is the song “Concrete Rose”. The song paints Graphene in a beautiful light, calling himself an artist, a lyrical genius much like the talented painter Van Gogh. He compares himself to a rose who has risen from the concrete (“done rose from the concrete”), much like the saying rising from the ashes like a phoenix. This was one remarkable tune
“What You Want” is the title of the next song. The character in the song is torn between being selfish and keeping all his newfound wealth, his girlfriend’s affection, and his wealth that he would want his children to enjoy. He seems so torn that he asks point blank for them to tell him what they want from him (“tell me what you, what you want from me”). The song is great and creates a splendid sonic experience
The next song is called “Bobby Caldwell”. The song’s beat is very inviting as Graphene expresses how he will do anything and everything he can to get success, joy, etc. He expresses that he will go the extra mile to achieve these things. The song describes an ambitious person who is determined to achieve his goals. The song is rich and powerful taking you to a lovely soundscape
Next is the song “Nana said…PUSH. The song is another nugget of wisdom by this grandma about being relentless in life.
The title of the next song is “Pregame”. He describes life as a game and intends to pregame before the game itself. pregame often refers to the small party you attend before the actual party you attend. He knows life is not a game but he’s ready to face it head on. The rap verses flow smoothly and you will enjoy the song
Next is the song Claressa (champion). This song has a bit of a relaxing vibe to it. The character in the song has a very positive and winning attitude (“got me feeling like a champion”). He mentioned a few rappers like Soulja Boy. The song is very witty and interesting
Next is the song called “Seed Round”. The song explains how Graphene has worked very hard to get where he is in his career and that no matter what happens he is going to be legendary (“I ain’t come this far just to get this far, a young nigga is bound to blow”). The whole song exudes confidence and is very cool
Next is the song “U N I”. The song has this lovely trumpet sound that accompanies Graphene’s rap. The song condemns fear. The rap flow of this song is so incredibly fantastic. Line after line after line he knocks the rap out of the park
Next is the song entitled “Frank Lucas”. The character in the song is trying to make something of himself before he goes into the gentle good night(”I’m tryna be a somebody until I become nobody”). The song is a foot-tapping song that will excite you from start to finish
The next song is called “Any Given Sunday” This song is a lively song that is beautiful. The song is a thrilling song that will captivate you
The album comes to a close titled “Superstar Outro”. The song is a thank you to everyone who stuck with him since his dreams of being a distinguished rapper were just a thought or idea. The song is a banger that brings this fantastic album to a close
Wow! What an incredible album. “Life’s a Bar” is about making the most of the dash between our birth and death dates on the tombstone. It takes you on a journey of a rose from the concrete trying to navigate different gardens till it withers and dries up. I was never bored when listening to this album. Graphene’s rap style reminded me of rappers like J-Cole and Kendrick Lamar. Graphene is going to make a mark in this industry, just wait and see
Stream the “Life’s a Bar” album on Spotify
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