Mahogany Jones - Sugar Water
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.
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
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