Jae Harmony

Jae Harmony is that knucklehead within the circle of knowledge seekers, hollering at the girls, weed within arm's reach, talking more smack than senior citizens in foldout lawn chairs at the neighbor's barbeque. He's a lovable knucklehead, though. For all of his grandiose posturing, you can tell that his mind's eye is taking it all in, and that includes a mentor's advice along with the big booty coming down the street. Often referring to himself as an alien or Martian, this INF Gang affiliate certainly stands out among his comrades as part of the Anatta Roc Records roster. The Memo Demo barely lasts 15 minutes, but it's packed with enough verbal zingers and one-line stingers to give the listener an idea of how Jae's mind works.

"Black & Ugly" gets things started with a tale of lament, stressing that darker hues need love, too. As Jae dishes dirt about the females that would pass him by for brothers with lighter shades, static slaps serve as snares for percussion while lush vocals are chopped and scattered over a rich sauce of keyboard accompaniment. The alien lets it be known, however, that he made up for maxed-out melanin with penile precision. Even while gasping at the punch lines, the head nod factor of this track is undeniable. The same can be said for "Milky Way," making great use of hard-hitting drums and soulful crooning as an endless loop to get lost in for days. Jae's lyrical confidence on this cut is noticeable, kicking one song-length verse with no breaks, keeping the listener captivated the entire time.

"16 Bars of Flava" delivers exactly what the title promises, its execution parallel to the overall feeling of the E.P. Jae gets in, does his thing, and he's out just as fast. Spitting "renegade rebel shit" over an instrumental that's more ominous in feeling, you almost wish that he didn't hold back, particularly after the wordplay on display within "Milky Way." Thankfully, he's not done with us just yet. "Whaddup Doe" contains a feel good vibe reminiscent of early '90s hip-hop. You can hear it in the production: the sparkling keys, the shimmering strings and flurry of scratches, the kick-snare cadence of the drum programming. Jae sounds really relaxed in this musical setting, spouting lyrics that the body can party to but are never found guilty of empty-headed moments.

"I Am" finds him at his most determined and perhaps most focused. It's the best first impression cut on the entire E.P., adorned in electronic chords so warm that it could melt an elder's cynicism towards the youth entirely. Muffled drum pads are cushioned by cascading keys that freefall gently against the track. Meanwhile, Jae's lyrics take center stage and earn every beam of the spotlight that they receive. At one point, he describes his rhyme scheme as "a cornrow flow: it's too tight." Too clever for his own good yet too crude to be a choir boy, Jae Harmony could be considered the little brother to Little Brother. He is new millennium narcissism that still bears the luster of golden age hip-hop. The Memo Demo is 15 minutes well spent and a fitting introduction to Jae's world.
- Jason Randall Smith