The Streets Redefined: Resilience Extended Play by Jazzmaniac is real, relatable and raw. It addresses real issues from the very first record titled Check Coast featuring Lutendo. The record highlights the struggles that people go through, the efforts they make to try get by and the frustration that they endure after giving their all to the grind and nothing materialises. I quote as Jazzmaniac raps, "You reap what you sow/ that's what they tell us but most def we be working hard/ still living like peasants bra..."
This is a record that most people can relate to 'cause everyone has had their own fair share of the struggle, frustrations and disappointments. Jazzmaniac and Lutendo did justice to this record, great collaborative effort sadly that's the only one we get on this project.
On the following two records The Greatest Skit and Chuck Taylors, a confident and determined Jazzmaniac emerges. He uses a skit to say that he's better than before, he's actually the greatest now and ready to move and take over the world in his Chuck Taylors. "We going to do it all, move the world in our Chuck Taylors" he raps. The hook on *Chuck Taylors is very catchy, one can already imagine the crowd reacting to this bopping their heads, rapping word for word, hands in the air, it looks quite lit. The song makes me yearn to see the live rendition of the whole project. The beat has a good vibe, something you can turn up to.
The Convo Le Six interlude gives you a glimpse of how Jazzmaniac’s time with his boys is like and what they think of the game. Just like on the last record IV Verses goes at fellow rappers saying that they all sound alike and they make microwave music.
As we move on to track five titled Epiphany where the rapper shares a revelation that he has come to realise, I quote as he raps, "There's only few real ones left/ look around how many want to see you live/ how many want to really see you live? How many share knowledge/ share wealth and opportunities?/ Oh you wanna talk girls?/ All you wanna share is liquor, really?/ To be frank, ain't f*ing with you./ Bra, I suggest you walk that way/ time is ticking for a black man I ain't trying to waste my days..." Nicely done over this infectious jazzy beat. He also poses questions that will make you have your own epiphany, "Who you building with, who you riding with?" This record makes you double check your whole squad just to ensure that you riding with the right people sailing in the right direction, and that you're not just going with the direction of the wind.
On the last record IV Verses it’s all bars no hook. He fires shots at his peers, haters and digital bullies, declares himself as the rapper that people should listen to, not his peers who make microwave music. He wraps up the EP by sharing some words of encouragement and wisdom, "The rise and fall, the rise and fall/ not too many will offer a hand when you fall/ your dark days will turn bright/ it's only right to rise you're made in the image of Christ/ so when you face misery what's left for you is only glory/ only a man who has never lived has a perfect story." Great record nice way to wrap up the project with bars that keep the listener asking for more.
This is a dope project, one thing it does best is make you yearn to see the live rendition of all seven records. It is accommodative, neither too commercial nor underground, it's more like a bridge between both worlds. The downside of this project is the skits and the interlude, the actual songs take control of your mind and make you forget about the world and focus on the project only but the skits kind of kill that flow. The Jazzy feel on this project make it very unique, it's a breath of fresh air. Nice one.
