Jacket Fulla
Medalz
By
Timbo King x
Ras Ceylon
Prod. By Dawit
Justice
Now, this album only came to my attention recently and
courtesy of John Dugan aka JD Hip Hop Reviews. It was originally released way
back in 2025 with a digital release and then later in May of 2025 with a
physical release and a digital re-release.
Jacket Fulla Medalz comes from Brooklyn emcee Timbo
King (Royal Fam) and Sri Lankan born emcee Ras Ceylon. The project is produced
by Dawit Justice, for Medal Gear, and features cuts from Selecta Kram. The
album also brings together lyricists from both coasts of the US with guest
appearances from Buckshot, LA the Darkman, Prodigal Sunn and Tragedy Khadafi.
Just before I get into my deep dive of the album, there is a
line I’d like to quote from the promotional material that sets this one up
nicely, With its raw delivery and timeless production, Jacket Fulla Medalz
stands as a decorated testament to lyrical warfare and conscious
resistance—designed for those who still believe in message-driven hip-hop. For
me that says such a lot about the approach this album takes.
Let’s get into Jacket Fulla Medalz…
We begin with the big orchestral sound of Enter which
mixes strings and a heavy drum beat that kicks your adrenaline levels into high
gear from the get-go. This into sets the overall tone of the album with a
sampled vocal, which I am not going to pretend I know the source of, that
really speaks volumes about the militant stand this album is going to take,
know where your from, your history, and stand up for what is right, regardless
of how some mat look at you for the strength of your convictions. With the expectation
built, Stolen Legacy brings a sound that has cuts, piano and vocal
samples underpinning the pounding beat, giving this one a sound that has this
Italian vibe to it brought by the piano notes. With cleaver wordplay Timbo and
Ras give us a look in their understanding of how African culture has been overlooked,
obscured, or even erased by scholars and historians. This is not just look at
past events but, more recent events too and the rise of artists like themselves
raising awareness. It is also worth noting that there is a book with the same
title as this track by George G.M. James that explores these concepts in more
detailed format and is likely a read worth seeking out if you want to know
more. Next up. Is the albums title track Jacket Fulla Medalz. Bass and
horns feature but are softened into the background by a heavy drum loop that
gets you head nodding; there are also some slick cuts to round things off. Here
Timbo and Ras give us a display of their individual lyricism in a way that
shows you the power and the strength of their resolve. The complex nature and
power of their words hits hard and idea that failure is not an option,
goes to prove that outcome and lasting impression of the album is their focus.
Wylin sees the first guest appearance as Buckshot
steps up to the mic. Dawit Justice brings a beat that guitar vibes as the base
sound with the head nod beat getting your body moving; the horns on the bridge
just adds an extra level to raise you up. Wylin is a slang term and one that
has a few meanings. A couple that seem to fit here are unpredictable and
extreme, the reason I say that is that the militant focus here gives you pause
to understand both the unpredictable and extreme nature of both how the
wordplay is delivered and, how you need to act, to be able to bring awareness
to the subject matter that is being suppressed by the establishments. Three
The Godway sees LA The Darkman and Prodigal Sunn feature alongside Timbo
and Ras. Dawit brings a heavy sound that mixes piano notes taking to the
forefront from the pounding drums. This gives you a backdrop sound that brings
the vocals as the focus when they drop. This one has that posse cut vibe as
each emcee drops a solid delivery of intellectual lyricism. There is still that
deep aspect that brings a focus to raising your fist, standing up for justice
and leading the charge in bringing a greater awareness to just what that
justice means. We get to the mid-point of the album with Brownstonez
where the sound switches to a jazz infused sound, one that immediately outs you
in mind of smoky speakeasies, places where it was free to speak openly. This
one takes you back to that time but also brings the present day into focus too.
There is talk of the actions of the police and of fascism too. Subject matter
that makes you think as you listen, making you wonder just how much has changed
in the last seventy or eighty years or so. This is all still apparent in modern
times; it is just how it is delivered that has changed.
The Coolest brings a beat with strings and guitar
vibes that has a sound that puts you more in mind of those Wu-Tang beats. This
one is look at the situations and mind state that shape you as you grow. There is a lot here that also focuses on the
types of foods that feed your body and mind rather than just the flavours you
crave. Being the coolest has changed a lot, whereas once it was all about peer
pressure and looking good to others, now it is all about feeding you body what
it really needs but also feeding the mind. It’s On In hits with a heavy
beat that has this piano vibe that tweaks your nerves, just a little, giving
you a sound that sparks your focus, seemingly bringing a clarity, like wiping
mist from a window. That idea of clarity works well here as this one is all
about taking some time away from all the heavy stuff and having a night out
just enjoy yourself in whatever way that transpires. Tragedy Khadafi features
on Frontline Generalz where the beat pounds and organ sounds carry you
along, giving this one and overall sound that will work wherever you are
listening at. This one sees the emcees standing as the frontline against the
system, a system that is flawed and corrupt, and something that so many of us
can associate with no matter where we come from. People the world over know how
the system can fail them and leave them in a place where every day struggles
are commonplace and system only works for those who run it or who profit from
it. Here the generalz lead the way in the fight to hold these people to account
and raise up the rest of us.
Go On mixes heavy drums with an electronic sound that
puts you in mind of old eight-bit computer game sounds. This gives us a vibe
that seems to keep you rooted in reality, never letting the drumbeat take you
away from the moment. What I take from this one is a message that says invites
you to focus on where you are headed in life. Never allowing anything to let
you stray from that path you are forging. Realising your goals is a huge part
of life and while our goals might change, subtly, from time to time, it is
important to always stay focused and never lose sight of what is most
important. We come to the albums penultimate track Curtainz, which sees
Dawit give us a heavy pounding sound with piano notes that have an almost eerie
quality, giving this one a sound that keeps you rooted in the hear and now,
giving attention to what is being said. It’s all about the gritty reality of
living in NYC and the impact that street life has. There are no punches pulled
here as everything is laid bare for all to see. There are no rose-tinted
glasses here to help you put a positive spin on things, this is the grim
reality that truly exists. The album closes with Exit, the outro that
has that same sound from Enter and rounds things off in a way that leaves you
in no doubt about life is like beyond the front door, especially for certain
ethnicities and peoples within society. Who you are and what you stand for can
make you a target and that is one of the very real aspects of today’s society.
Lets get real with this one, there is a lot to like about
this album, the production, the wordplay, the delivery, all is top notch and
gives this album a side that is a pleasure to listen to, but when you move on
from that aspect and begin to really listen to the lyrics, you realise that
there is a darkness to the album. The darkness that comes through here is from
the fact that there is still a fight going on between minorities and ruling
bodies. Here, the focus is on the ethnic minorities but, it can also apply to
other minorities in class and more because the system looks down on everyone,
some more than others, there is little doubt there but, what is key here is
that even if you are not classed as an ethnic minority, there is a lot to this
album that speaks to you about the struggles of everyday life and what we
experienced to get to where we are now. This album hits differently here in the
UK because its focus is on American society where so many ethnic communities
are looked down on and their roots and histories are changed and removed from
what is taught. No community should have to suffer that and be required to dig
for the truth.
Timbo King and Ras Ceylon have laid the facts bare here in a
way that shows we still seem to be no further along in correcting these things,
than we were thirty or forty years ago. Growing up with Hip Hop has shown me a
lot about how people are treated by the system, and it seems astounding that we
still see those same things now, that people are held back and judged due to
the colour of their skin. That is one of the all-consuming messages that comes
from this album, and one that you can’t avoid as you listen.
Like I said, there is also a lot to celebrate here too. The
passion and fortitude that is shown by Timbo, Ras and the guest artists is second
to none as they deliver their messages in a way that shows a dedication to
showing the truth of society and raising people up by installing in them a
power to stand up and be heard, and that brings with it a deep almost spiritual
aspect with it. You can’t see the darkness you do not know the light too, for
one does not exist without the other, and while there might not be a lot of
talk about the light here, it does shine through in a way you might not realise
until the album is over.
The wordplay has a depth and a strength that shows this was
not written just to sell a few records. This is an album that was written to
educate and make you think. That means you have to truly listen to those
complex lyrics and see how they impact you. The production from Dawit Justice
draws from and celebrates the golden age of Hip Hop and also pays homage to
that Wu-Tang sound too, giving you a sound that is packed full of a passion for
the sound and a raw power that hits with every beat.
This is one of those albums that you just have to give time
to and see what it says to you, and I can see why it made so many waves when it
had its original release.
My huge thanks to John Dugan for sending this one my way.
I’ll see ya next time.
Steve.
LINKS
Grab your copy or stream here:
https://royalfam.bandcamp.com/album/jacket-fulla-medalz
https://rootsnculture.shop/product/timbo-king-x-ras-ceylon-x-dawit-justice-jacket-fulla-medalz/
https://music.apple.com/us/album/timbo-king-presents-jacket-fulla-medalz/1811599685
Follow on Socials here:
https://www.instagram.com/originaltimboking/
https://www.facebook.com/timbo.king.3
https://www.instagram.com/rasceylon/
https://www.instagram.com/dawitjustice/
https://linktr.ee/DawitJustice
https://www.instagram.com/jacketfullamedalz/
VIDEOS
Brownstonez


%20FINAL.jpg)
%20FINAL.jpg)


