You need to listen to Tommy Will. Like, RIGHT NOW! With that said, what’s good Bird City!? It’s the big homie, Bo, back again with another rising Arizona talent. This week’s featured artist, Tommy Will, is one of the best wordsmiths in the state, and his latest track “Emergency Calls Only” is a somber and pointed discourse on our addiction to cell phones.
The track’s beat is an airy canvas with melancholy overtones, that sets the table perfectly for Tommy’s hard bars. Tommy tackles the subject of constant video capturing early in the song, rapping, “Plus get the booth/ plus get the troops/ bout to pay rent/ show em the loot/ show em the drugs/ show em the gang/ show em the stores that we run out like Boonk./ The best part about this track is the candid observations that Tommy makes. He rides the same topic the entire song, which is a rarity in hip-hip songs. Tommy also uses an unconventional arrangement repeating the hook only once in the beginning and at the end of the song. This arrangement gives the song a story style delivery, adding to its originality.
Throughout the song, Tommy keeps the track fresh with pop culture, entertainment, and political references that are highly identifiable. Tristian Thompson and Khloe Kardashian, Boonk, Trump, Wakanda, and the XXL freshman list, are all ear catching examples he uses to keep you tapped in. Relatable situations are also readily available on Emergency Calls Only. “Shopping on Ebay now facebook start selling me items from Amazon I looked at a week ago/ hopped in my vehicle/ don’t see the road.” Lines like, “If I don’t say that its real, you get verbal abuse,” and “How am I supposed to eat dawg if my phone ain’t on my plate?” give the listener real insight to Tommy’s mind and his perception of how social media has changed our everyday behaviors.
The beat selected for this joint, gives the song a sad, almost apologetic tone. Tommy’s delivery is impeccably clear and concise, as he hits every syllable with rapid fire precision. Adlibs are absent, as well as, Autotune, keeping the vocals simple and clean. Tommy’s flow features a bit of Big Sean in his delivery right around :44 seconds, but outside of a similar cadence, this track is almost perfect. “Emergency Calls Only”, is a stellar track from an outstanding artist representing the Tuscson, Arizona area. “Emergency Calls Only” gets a 9.5 out of 10 this week on the Three Minute Music Review and as always, I’ll be delivering more outstanding Arizona Hip-Hop next week. See you then!
BIRDCITYVIEW 