The Bedroom Rapper
EP
By
Controverse
I previously reviewed Controverse when he featured on two
tracks for Wounded Buffalo Beats on the album Black Magic & Horns. Here he
featured alongside Pacewon, Jus Allah and Mayz, so it is good to finally get
the chance to review his solo work.
2021 has been a productive year for Controverse with two
singles already in the bag, On My Own and Hold Tight, the Bristol emcee now
drops The Bedroom Rapper EP. The EP is four tracks with a nice little bonus,
and he promises that there will be a bit of everything in this one.
I think I’m just dive straight into this one for you…
The EP kicks off with dark vibe of heavy drums and melodic
piano notes but there is a thoughtful air to this one too. Here we find
Controverse looking at the struggles of life, the moments that define who we
are and those moments that literally save us. Along the way there are those who
stand by us every step of the way, those who put us down and then there are
those who only choose to stand by us once we have made it. Through all these
moments there are those times when we need to respond and those times when it
is just best to Say Nuffin’.
Time to chill things out a little with a laid-back beat and
some multi-layered sounds. Controverse takes a look at why he Don’t Smoke
Weed. He takes us back to times when he did smoke, that weed is not
necessarily a bad drug and tells us about the reasons behind why he made the
choice to stop. This is easily one of those tracks for those who enjoy a smoke
and those who don’t because you can easily kick it and chill either way, it’s
your choice.
From that chilled vibe we are brought back to our feet with
a gritty mix of heavy drums and synth notes. Get Ya Fists Up is not a
track that glorifies violence, as Controverse makes obvious in the into. What
this is, is an upbeat hard-edged track that looks at those times when you are
in a situation with no choice but, to defend yourself and that could be for
many reasons. So, you can get deep into this one or simply just enjoy the beat
and have some fun with it.
Time for some head nod now, piano driven with a good
sprinkling of cuts. Although that piano also gives this one a thoughtful aspect
too. That’s Life see’s Controverse take a look at the ebb and flow of
life and the storms that occasionally darken the skies on our life’s journey.
The message here is that, yes, life does bring us challenges and hurdles to
overcome but, the reality is that, ultimately, life is what you make it. You
can choose to fall or stumble and stay down or you can keep getting up every
time and forge ahead in the knowledge that a better tomorrow is coming, and you
are making it happen.
The bonus track brings us a deep emotive vibe from its
sparse drums and piano driven sound to the etheric vocals. On My Own is
one of those deeply personal tracks that hits hard on many levels. Here
Controverse opens his heart to you as her details coming through all those hard
times, the times you could never imagine seeing the light again, but eventually
marvelling as the sun breaks through the dark clouds above, showing that the
road ahead is clear, and you made it. There is a connection here that touches
us all and one we can all associate with, from those who have already come
through it to those who are still wondering when the sun will breakthrough?
Don’t worry, the sun will shine through…
I have to say that this one did not disappoint. There was a
bit of everything here, from some fun to things more thoughtful and those that
will probably have you sitting back and maybe reaching for a tissue.
The thing here is that Controverse has skillful wordplay and
flows which he fuses with feeling on a level that can just leave you blown
away. He really puts a huge amount of feeling and personal experience into
these tracks in a way that invites the listener to reflect on their own
personal experiences to great effect. It shows proper maturity and a desire,
not just to entertain, but also to connect with the listeners on deep levels
that shows we all have a connection on some level.
The production on the Ep comes from Nigma (Tracks 1-4) and
SK Plug (On My Own) and these guys do an absolutely cracking job of mirroring
the emotiveness of Controverse’s lyrics. The musical backdrops to each track
really bring that vibrancy out which allows you to feel the essence of what is
being put across to you. There are times when the musical backdrop does not
always do the job but, here that is not an issue as you feel every emotion
whether it lifts you up and excites you or brings a tear to the eye, it’s all
there.
Overall, if you are going to use music to convey a wealth of
emotions to the listeners then it has to be the complete package. The Bedroom
Rapper EP does that with aplomb. Controverse delivers a heartfelt project that
perfectly displays his skills. He brings personal experience to bear here in a
way that allows us in and to feel what he feels, and it’s all backed up by a stunning
musical journey which carries us across a wealth of emotions in just under
seventeen minutes.
This is definitely one for your collection, regardless of
whether you stream it or buy it, just listen to it.
Having said that, I would say that the paltry sum that
Controverse is asking for this EP makes it more that worth your while to part
with a couple of quid…
Huge thanks to Controverse for sending this over to me.
The Bedroom Rapper EP is out today with streaming links to follow on 27th…
On that note, I’m out too,
Steve
LINKS
Get the EP on Bandcamp Here:
https://controverse.bandcamp.com/album/the-bedroom-rapper-ep-3
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