Emancipation /
My Truth
By
BENZA
There are times when you just want to review something
because the music and the story behind the music speaks to, and touches you so
deeply, and this is one of those times so I would please ask that you bear with
me.
BENZA is a Hip Hop artist/emcee who is originally from
Banbury, Oxfordshire and is now based in Reading, Berkshire. Now I would
normally take someone’s bio and use my own words to elaborate on what I have
read. But this time as I read through BENZA’a words I felt, on a deep level,
that I should let him tell his own story. These might just be a short story
but, its profound and touches you deeply. Also, please be aware of the subject
matter and I also give a Trigger Warning for that subject matter:
From suffering abuse as a child to battling my own
demons with addiction, I'm glad to say that I am now almost one year completely
clean, sober and nicotine free (which is a miracle for someone who couldn't go
without alcohol or substances for just one day).
Whilst struggling with the deaths of my (only other sibling) best friend and my
brother, my ex-partner, my dad, uncles and then grandparents sadly, I had also
managed to escape a burning building and survive a knife attack. The grips of
my heavy addiction unfortunately then led me to some dark places and eventually
homelessness where I was plagued with suicidal thoughts and depression, eventually
leading to my heart failing after an overdose, where I was obviously brought
back with adrenaline.
I am now grateful to be able to tell that story and hopefully one day it can
inspire others through my music and journey.
Within this madness I have still been able to create some music over the past
20 years now. I am an artist who has a real passion for writing, recording,
telling this story and performing my music and have done for many years now.
I now truly believe my music can evoke many emotions because I am a very
versatile, technical lyricist, a unique story teller, a poet , a punchline /
battle rapper, Grime and Drum and Bass MC with various flows , concepts,
wordplay & metaphors. Whether I create 'Conscious' or 'Hardcore Hip Hop' ,
I believe we all have different moods for each moment in life, and as some
people believe 'variety is the spice of life' I believe I do encapsulate that
in my music. I hope one day people can grasp my true passion for this and also
connect with my pain, seeing that there is another way out.
Following on from reading that story you can have some sense of
the content that BENZA is going to express in these following two singles
Emancipation and My Truth. I’ll review these as they were released with My
Truth first followed by Emancipation…
My Truth has production from Temper Beats who brings a
reflective vibe courtesy of keys, which initially tweak your nerves before
fading into the background as the heavy beat drops in, which gets your head
nodding as your mind drifts. Here we find BENZA dropping two verses full of
reflection of events that have shaped who he is, from the events of his youth
to those that have had a huge impact in more recent years, the impact of all
these traumatic events is clear and has the potential to hit you like a tidal
wave but, a tidal wave that matches the emotive content with a solid boom bap
Hip Hop sound.
Emancipation is produced Epik The Dawn and brings an
emotive edge to the sound which seems to envelop your heart, as if cushioning
it, while still having vibe that allows you head to slowly nod in time with the
melodic beat. Here BENZA relates the heart wrenching story that is his life;
all the pain and trauma is laid bare for all to hear. His journey through
addiction, shaking hands with the grim reaper, before seeing the light and
finding the path to recovery. It might have a deep dark sound but, it just goes
to show that we only see the light when recognise the darkness.
I purposefully kept my description of these two tracks short
because the message that is contained within them serves a bigger purpose both
individually and when taken together. These tracks detail one person’s journey
through a life filled with trauma, pain, and grief. That, in itself, would be
enough to touch the deepest parts of anyone’s heart but, there is so much more
here than just one man’s story. These tracks serve as a beacon of hope to all
those out there who struggle with their own mental health challenges,
regardless of the root cause.
Listening to My Truth and Emancipation, not only
allows you to walk a few steps in his shoes but, they cast a light on the
darkest parts of life, showing you that you are never alone in you pain and
suffering and that there is always a way forward. There is always a hand
willing to take yours, a shoulder for you to cry on and someone to hold you
when you most need it, all you have to do is reach out for that hand, rest on
that shoulder and accept than hug.
These two tracks must have been hard to write and recite but, also
cathartic in their final display. There is nothing stronger than the lived
experience of someone who has been there and lived it and the messages here
really do serve as hope to anyone who has been though something like that
experienced by BENZA. When taken together these tracks say “its ok to not be
ok. You are loved, so please stay”.
BENZA displays confident and raw edge to his lyrical content and
execution; you can feel the love and respect he has for his craft and the
message it conveys to those who choose to listen. If you have not yet listened
to BENZA, then this is the moment to stop and take five to give these a listen,
because this guy is one of those unsung heroes of the art, striving to be all
he can be but, still giving something back and being one of those hands to
reach out for when you need it most.
I must also give props to Temper Beats and Erik The Dawn, whose
production brings such depth of feeling to these two tracks. Providing
soundscapes that perfectly convey the emotive content of BENZA’a lyrics.
My Truth and Emancipation are out now.
On that note,
I’ll see ya next time.
Steve.
LINKS
BENZA YouTube Channel
https://www.youtube.com/@benzahiphop
VIDEOS
MY TRUTH
EMANCIPATION
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