Can you recall the song that first captured your heart with Hip Hop? For me, it was Renee by the Lost Boyz. I have vivid memories of sitting in the back seat, cruising down the Van Wyck, with the lyrics "I jump on the Van Wyck, I gotta make it there quick" playing in the background. This track sparked my desire to attend John Jay and study law. I never got to do it but maybe one day I will. Reflecting on Hip Hop today, I often talk about the challenge artists have; maintaining a balance between creating music that resonates with listeners and conveying important messages. When Raina Simone visited my content studio to showcase me her debut album, I anticipated powerful bars, but was pleasantly surprised by the depth of her artistry. Before she arrived, I was already genuinely enjoying the album and was relieved I wouldn't have to pretend. In the opening track "Pursuit Of Happiness," Raina raps about her upbringing and her father's vision for a better life. This resonated with me, highlighting the importance of generational progress and the pride in my own family's journey. While I could write a book diving into each song extensively, I'll refrain for readers purposes. Now, the Beyhive might kill me for this but a few days prior to listening to this album I found myself revisiting Beyonce's "Lemonade" as well as "Everything Is Love" by Beyonce and Jay-z. The construction, production and acknowledgement of the importance of Black Wealth reminds me alot of Old School, New Conscience. Proving that Raina Simone is ready to be in the game with the big leagues. This is ironic to me because Raina made reference to Beyonce's "Lemonade" on track 23 "These Walls”.
On track 3 "Ruler," Raina delivers a poignant line addressing colorism and the diversity within the Black community. "All my people black so stop asking me why I'm lightskin, my great great grandma was probably r*ped by the white man". This is one of my favorite lines because it amazes me how some people still haven't realized that black people come in all shades. Her album also touches on the right to bear arms, challenging societal perceptions within the Black community. When I saw that Ice Spice was featured on the tracklist, I felt a little disappointed. It's not that Ice Spice isn't talented or doesn't make great music; I just think it might not align with the overall theme of the project. There are plenty of female artists in Raina's lane who might have been a better fit for the song. With that being said, I do appreciate that Raina has shown she can collaborate with a diverse range of artists.
Raina drops endless gems throughout the project especially on tracks like “Hustle”, “Another Opp”, “No Peace” and “Magic”. The unexpected shift to Sexy Drill with R2R Moe was a nice surprise and added a fresh element. The transition from “Subway Surfers” to Louisiana for “Do Me Sum” with J.P and Hd4President was super clever. It was also a pleasant surprise to hear Raina singing and contributing to her own hooks. She also revealed to me that she played a significant role in the production. Proving that she is an overall musical genius in my opinion. Overall, I loved Old School, New Concscience and will share it with fellow Hip Hop lovers. My top picks from the album are "Magic," "Nobody's Promise," and "For Everybody."
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