What’s good, Bird City! Damn, I’m hype this week! We got a certified banger coming to you from one of Phoenix’s sleeping giants. Not sure if you have had a chance to see the movie “The System” directed by Phoenix’s own, Iroc Daniels, but I highly recommend checking it out. Our feature artist this week created the entire sound track. Marquel Dejuan is a star in the making with a style and sound that resembles Anderson Paak only with stronger rap skills. The stand out song on “The System Soundtrack” is definitely our joint of the week “In My Way”. Marquel showcases both singing and rap skills and gets almost religious with his fervent and emotional vocals that make you want to run through walls.
The sonic landscape provided to Marquel feels like something Kanye might inspire with a choir-like background hum accompanied by some Chance The Rapper like “huuuuhs” (think “No Problems”) that give the track an incredible energy. The beat is reminiscent of something 9th wonder would produce for the North Carolina based duo, “Little Brother”. This track is uplifting from the chorus, “I done my dues/ who are you?/ who are you to say we not the fucking greatest?/”, to the very last bar. On the chorus, Marquel shows some of his vocal range with a voice that has touch of Kendrick mixed with the aforementioned Anderson Paak. This mix gives his music an ear catching quality you can’t find too often. As far as rhymes go, MD spits like an automatic with razor sharp delivery and timing. Marquel also takes some chances with controlled screaming on certain parts of the track that continually push the song to new levels of energy.
The song in general sounds great. The beat and vocal levels are perfect, and the adlibs were superbly mixed. Lyrically. “In My Way” provides everything you could ask for with rapid fire bars, smooth singing and some potent content. From the very jump, MD hops on the track with jokes, “You was M.I.A/ now we V.I.P./now you trying to be like C.I.A. all in mine/ don’t you worry nigga everything is fine/ take a look back at my life remember I ain’t have a dime/”. Marquel comes with the real life shit on verse two where he opens up, “In the middle of the night when I hold my son/ and I think these niggas aint help me none/ aint gave me shit cept fuel my flame/this is my light better stay in yo lane/”, then goes on to school those with the wrong priorities, “yall was going so hard in the club, but ya wasn’t really thinkin bout the first of the month/ aint shit wrong with some purp in the blunt/ little bit of henny in the cup but a nigga got bills to pay.”
Marquel gives an absolutely masterful performance on “In My Way” and really thought the entire “The System” soundtrack. This week this talented word smith is going to lock down a perfect score, a 10 out of 10 for creating an absolute gem! Go peep that immediately on the links below! That brings this week to a wrap! More hidden AZ gems to uncover for you good people next week! Peace and love, your boy, Bo!
BIRDCITYVIEW 