A-Reece, Jay Jody & BLUE TAPE – heaveN caN waiT: thE narroW dooR, vol. 1
Pretoria-born rappers and blood brothers A-Reece and Jay Jody deliver an album that’s equal parts braggadocio and vulnerability. On songs like “bilL russelL” and “tufF lucK,” they make it known that they have no competition; Jay Jody raps, “I’m still top tier, meaning I’m stuck up/We run the city, now we’re aiming for the World Cup” on the latter. On “blvcK kidZ,” they rap and croon poignantly about the hurdles one faces growing up in the hood: “Stay strong, they won’t break us/Black kids with black cards and bank statements/T-shirts with black faces/These days you die young and stay famous,” raps A-Reece. But it’s on album closer “thE confrontatioN” where both MCs bear their souls, rapping about the game’s shady ways. However, they emerge victorious, noting that outside validation “don’t mean shit.” Produced by IceMan Beats and A-Reece, heaveN caN waiT: thE narroW dooR, vol. 1 recalls ’90s boom-bap but with the lush pads of modern day hip-hop, a perfect backdrop for the two MCs to narrate their story in this boastful family affair.