Jay Electronica is like Halley’s Comet, he appears only once in a generation but always to the delight of those who witness it. His delivery is smooth and precise, confident with a steady dose of heresy. Never afraid to pop his opponents in the mouth, Jay Electronica is a lyrical ronin; roaming the planet as a gun for hire.
Jay Electronica’s output has been spotty at best. Meticulous in nature he waits for the right time to execute what is normally a flawless flow, a combination of acrobatic wordplay and scathing content. There are no half-moves or petty gestures, when Jay Electronica is ready to battle he strikes like a king cobra.
“Eternal Sunshine (The Pledge)” is a rap opus, one that helped transform the perception of what hip-hop could be. Over a percussion-less beat, Jay Electronica unleashes a Niagara of verses; rapping about everything from faith and religion to the influx of wack rappers. It was an introduction like no other: [LISTEN]
After a virtual riot of applause and accolades, Jay Electronica was primed for a breakout. Every rapper in the game was shouting his praise as he blended the best of both worlds; mainstream style with underground sensibilities. He spoke truth at every turn and was supposed to be the one to bridge the gap between rap’s past and future. Even Jay-Z took notice, scooping him up for Roc Nation and promoting him as the next big thing.
For all the hype surrounding Jay Electronica none of it materialized into a proper full-length. For a time all fans heard about was his relationships with high profile women. Despite the petty drama and TMZ-type headlines he still managed to stay on rap’s radar with a series of solid mixtapes and blistering singles.
On “Renaissance Man” we got a glimpse into the turmoil he faced as a rising star. It wasn’t a substitute for an all album, but it did show how relentless Jay was towards the industry: [LISTEN]
For as much a ghost as Jay Electronica is he still manages to appear once in a blue moon to drop a verse that reminds us that he still has the chops to handle the mic. If his full-length does manage to materialize it’ll have to go against a mountain of scrutiny, which many rappers in the same position would falter under. But that’s how he opperates best, when up against the odds. And as seen on Big Sean‘s “Control,” he knows exactly how to handle the pressure: [LISTEN]
