Mahogany Jones - Sugar Water

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Mahogany Jones is an activist, an educator, and an artist. A former four-time 106 & Park Freestyle Fridays champion Mahogany Jones puts lyrics first, A Detroit resident, Jones’ music is consistent with the Motor City sound – soulful, thought-provoking, and unapologetic.

in the summer of 2018 she released her critically acclaimed album, Sugar Water. The 13-track album displays Mahogany Jones’ versatility and growth as an artist and a lyricist. Sugar Water was produced by Mozaic, iRonicLee, and Darell “Red” Campbell.

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The album title, Sugar Water, comes from the chorus on the first tune, "Bring Back the Soul." On this track, "soul" appears to be something from the past, a sweet drug that everyone was addicted to at some point in their lives, but have since replaced with things of lesser value. Jones' intentions are clear when she raps, "resurrect it, then perfect it, liquefy it, then inject it, in the hearts of the people when they least expect it, give 'em that sugar water" after verses of reminiscing on boom-bap, Michael Jackson, listening to music with her mother, and other touching memories.

After the second verse, it's clear we as a society have devolved from the purity Jones wants to bring back into music: "When being original was vital for survival, when having a rival wasn't about the image, wasn't about record sales, wasn't about the gimmicks, we was in it to win it and to win it didn't mean we had to mimic who was hot for a minute, cooled down by their second round, career was finished ... ain't nobody committed to making classics, you can feel the difference, we need soul." Amen.

All of this suggests that the potential millions aren't worth creating something that doesn't come from the soul. The value of the soul, and by extension, soul music, cannot be measured in gold. Jones and a killer guest feature are touching on an age-old cliché ("We broke but money can't fix") that proves the struggle of finding happiness yet needing money to survive as a human experience.

However, Jones bounces back from this state of confusion on the track "Untitled" — "lyrical Cassius, who needs cash when purpose is perfectly intertwined with rhythm and passion ... my words speak life ... resurrect the dead then they lead the masses." Here, Jones knows in her soul that her music provides fulfillment not just for herself, but for others as well. The rest of the song has two amazing features, and ends with more on the unifying powers of hip-hop. These dialogues all work to clue the listener in to what Jones is trying to do with the rest of the album.

Jones is not afraid to dig deep and open up about some very intense and important topics. This album is not only excellent ear candy, but an important discussion about contemporary issues. Jones uses hip-hop as her platform to address not only personal subjects, but also to further discussions we as a society have yet to resolve. This album is jam-packed with killer rhymes, smooth beats, and important topics that need to continue to be talked about. Jones closes the album with a bit of encouragement to help you get through some things, proving she has indeed brought back the soul: "Never call truce, minds never lose. Never call truce, spirits never lose." Read More Here

Illect Recordings: Mind the Rap Vol. 4

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Illect Recordings dropped a 19-song album  that hip hop heads will love!  Illect Recordings: Mind the Rap Vol. 4 features over forty-different artists from all around the country, including all of Illect’s twenty artists.

The production had a number of contributors: Die-Rek, Ess Be, Freddie Joachim, Imperial, J. Rhodan, Raging Moses, Rheomatic, Sebastian Hochstein, SoulSeize, Stro Elliot, Sundance, Tee-Wyla, Terem, and Wes Pendleton.

  1. Crowd React featuring Stro Elliot and Lightheaded (Ozay Moore, Ohmega Watts, and Braille
  2. Breathe featuring Ess Be, Red Pill, and Sareem Poems
  3. Promise Land featuring James Gardin and produced by Terem
  4. Feeling Like A G featuring Raging Moses
  5. I Got The Spirit featuring Datin, Raging Moses, Tee-Wyla, Stefan Otto and Jered Sanders
  6. Sweeter featuring WakeUp and J. Rhodan
  7. Really His featuring Krum, Sebastian Hochstein, and Sivion
  8. Know The Call featuring Imperial, Sareem Poems, and Sojourn
  9. The Name Is Die-Rek featuring DIE-REK
  10. Mad Men feat. Midcentury Modern, , the Terrific, Dre, and Evitan (Dres of Black Sheep & Jarobi of ATCQ)
  11. Intergalactic featuring Raging Moses, Change, and Tee-Wyla
  12. Flowers featuring Sadat X, Jurny Big, DJ Kair One, and Sebastian Hochstein
  13. Doin It featuring Freddie Joachim and Ozay Moore
  14. Fresh featuring James Gardin, Imperial, and K.I.N.E.T.I.K.
  15. The Feels featuring WakeUp and Wes Pendleton
  16. Transparent See featuring Ricky Valenz, Ess Be, and Ozay Moore
  17. The Last Sunrise featuring Adam L, DJ Sean P, Sivion, Stro Elliot, and Sundance
  18. Shallow featuring Finale, Ess Be, and Sareem Poems
  19. Victorious featuring James Gardin and SoulSeize

Follow Illect Recordings on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram.

You can buy it on Amazon, Google Play, or download it for free on . Stream it on Spotify.



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Prince Malachi is the founder of The Oracle Network and the Streetwear brand Y.A.H. Apparel

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