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August 1, 2021

727 Classics Review: GM- Introducing

Probably my favorite part about the St.Pete Hip Hop scene is the versatility of the artists and the sounds they bring to the city. On “Introducing”, GM brings Boom Bap to the Burg crafting a project that sounds like it’s straight out the 95’.

The East Coast “Boom Bap” sound has always been a favorite of mine and pretty much when I think of traditional Hip Hop that’s the song d that comes to mind. GM the duo comprised of Johnny Adama & Tjaru are two of the only artists this era to craft a project that sounds like it’s straight out of that “Boom Bap” era. Probably the closest thing is “1999” by Joey Bada$$ and the work Griselda is doing as of late.

GM goes over classic beats we all know and love like “It Ain’t Hard To Tell” and “Everything Remains Raw” but makes them feel like their own track bringing a new aspect to the beat. For some of these joints I personally like the GM versions more because I can relate to the 727 vibes.

The project starts off with the title track “intro(ducing)” which is a great taste of what’s to come from the project. Johnny and Tjaru fit like a glove over the soul sample beat. Adama & Tjaru are so relatable with their bars.

“Say It” has the duo on their Dirty South shit over the old school Luda beat. Tjaru already had the stoner rap classic “How High” with Crown Marquiss and this is just another example of what the hook master can do.

“Blue Dreams” is on some triumphant shit. The duo goes bar for bar on the track putting on for the set. I really dug the melodic vibes on Tjaru’s verse. GM in the building!

“4 Seasons” reminds me of some shit you just put on in the afternoon while you thinking about your life and day. Johnny’s hook is really dope, and I like how they amp up the beat more for the hook. I like the different approach each MC took with their verses. Johnny’s was more about how he’s gonna reach his goals and make it out the struggle and Tjaru’s verse is sort of dealing with the same concept but from the aspect of dealing with women.

“Sheesh” really is that, Johnny and Tjaru go brazy over the classic Nas beat, pretty much making the song their own.

“-__- Dead” has the duo over one of my favorite Outkast beats of all time. What I like most about this track is they still are bringing the bars but it’s still on the phonk shit that we have grown accustomed to from the pair. I always love when Adama gets on that pimp shit.

By far my favorite track on the project is “Whatever”. Whenever I hear this track it literally transports me back to the 95’. The video they made back in the day captures that vibe perfectly. If you showed someone this track and they had never heard the Busta version I’m pretty sure they would think it was made back in the day.

“Who You With 2011” is on some shiny suite shit. This one has big “Easy Money” vibes for me.

Adama and Tjaru just know why beats fit them and there are many times while listening to this project where I was just like damn man, this really one of them ones. “Waiting(…..waiting)” is a perfect example of that. I got patients!!

“February 13th” is on some big Tab Rap vibes. The story telling by Adama is some next level shit. I would love to see what he would do with a concept album.

Not sure if they where inspired by the Charles Hamilton track that uses the same beat but that’s instantly what I thought of when I heard it. The melodic hook on “Temptations” was really well done by Tjaru.

You know the homies always gotta throw some West Coast shit on a project since we on the West Side of FLA. “Friday” is some major gang shit. Tjaru’s flow and delivery is untouchable on this one.

“On Your Mark” just blew my mind. Adama and Tjaru over a classic DJ Premier beat is can’t miss. As far as just straight bars I am not sure there is anyone in the entire state fucking with these guys.

Although the duo is at different phases of their artistry now, the boom bap roots are still present in their music today, “Easy Money” is an example of that. This without a doubt is a special project for the city and I would highly recommend everyone going back and checking it out, especially if your a true Hip Hop head. They really are the last 2.

May 31, 2021May 31, 2021

The Last 2

Coming off their immortal track “The Last 1”on the instant 727 classic “The Adama Effect”, Johnny Adama & Tjaru link up to craft another classic duo project, that falls in line with the other duo albums that have come out of the burg over the past few years on “Easy Money”.

The first track “Out My Body” is on some boucey shit. The beat sounds like a magic wand, and the entire project was engineered in house by the master himself Rishi Beats so you know the mix is A1. Tjaru kills the hook and his verse setting the perfect chorus for Adama to drop. Adama snapped with that sped up flow towards the end.

The beat on “Patient” for some reason reminds me of the airport. I love how off rips Adama just spazzes on the track. The melodic hook is really solid and works as a good transition between Johnny and Tjaru’s verse. This is my favorite song on the entire project and is pretty much an instant classic at this point,

“Out Of Body” is the turn up track of the project. Tjaru once again kills it on the hook, I love how he is able to change up his flow effortlessly. Adama’s verse is also really dope, especially the way he starts flowing towards the end.

Dubbed “Tab Rap”, The Fix is one of my favorite joints on the project. This would for sure make an epic video. Off rips Tjaru hits you with one of the best hooks on the project. It was only a matter of time before Adama hit ya with that pimp shit. I liked the way each one ended out their verses on some rollin up shit.

I think “Tryna Chill” is gonna be one of those songs for the summer. I love the way Adama starts his verse with that “Iz you tryna link up or somethin?”. Some artists come off corny when they try to do melodic shit, but Adama always kills it, really dug that origami line shout out to Quanzaah.

Capturing that “Tab Rap” esthetic again on “I Can’t Feel My Face” Adama & Tjaru are definitely onto something with this sound. It’s like a chilled out vibe but adds just enough bounce so that we don’t get slump. I know if they made a video for this one it would be some next level shit.

Adama always brings some West Coast Hip Hop vibes to his projects and “Mowet” is a perfect example of that. This the type of joint you just put the windows down and crawl down Gulf BLVD with some loud burning. I c any say it enough but Tjaru did his thing on every hook he graces.

“Diamonds & Gold, Pt.2” is on some old school trill, Southern Hip Hop type shit. I could definitely hear this being played at your local players ball or function. It also reminds me of those old school Devin The Dude smoking tracks. This is definitely rollin up music. That beat is real funky and the verses are pimp tyte, what else could you want.

Adding some versatility to the album “Better Days” is on some introspective shit. I love the message of this track. No matter how bad things get, better days are always coming. The vivid imagery both MCs paint with their lyrics is pretty incredible.

The album ends on the chill “Fall Thru”. I love the hazy hook from Tjaru, it’s almost like he’s rapping after a long night of partying, sort of fitting for the final track. Adama kills it hitting all the high notes for the ladies on his verse. Overall great way to end out the project.

It’s pretty brazy to say but the homie Johnny Adama has dropped three of my favorite albums of the year and it’s not even June yet. He by far is my favorite artist right now and I don’t see that changing anytime soon. It was really dope hearing more from Tjaru and I an highly anticipating his solo project. Another big shout out to Rishi Beats for making everything come together, Jit highly anticipating his project as well. I can definitely see a “Tab Rap” sub genre being birthed from this project.

May 3, 2021May 4, 2021

Adama Bin Laden

After dabbling with some different sounds and sticking to the Valentines Day theme on “Conflicted”, Johnny Adama is able to capture a sound of his own on “The Adama Effect”.

The album starts off with “Above The Rim” a dope joint to get you tuned into the vibe of the album, really airy hard hitting production, my type of beat for sure. Adama’s bars are always top tier.

“Real Deal” featuring the infamous Playrunna Av is the street banger off the album. Playrunna and Johnny go bar for bar over a slick trap beat. Playrunna’s verse is filled with quotable lines, that bar about the timbs is cold af.

My favorite song on this project switches almost daily but for the past few days it’s been “The Last 1” featuring Tjaru. Being real this might be my favorite Adama song to date. The way he flows over the lush boom trap production is unfuckwitable. I am unfamiliar with Tjaru but his verse went in as well, and will pretty much be classic cause of how dope this track is. I got a brazy idea for a video on this one. Let’s make it happen Adama.

The entire project was mixed and engineered by Zhudaru1963, not sure how much input he had on the production but “Tom Fords” sounds like it was out the jungle. The way Johnny rides the beat is flawless whether it’s more uptempo for the hook or slowed down for the verses.

“Menu” is one of my standout tracks for sure. I love the icy shimmering beat. Johnny’s chill flow and bars of smoking, finessing, and chilling with his ladies pairs well with the slow knock of the beat. We def need a video for this joint.

The track “Secret” is on a different vibe than some of the rest of the tracks on the project, with Johnny brining probably his fastest flow. This track had tons of quotables, but my favorite line is the “got a plug in St.Petersburg…. Russia”.

“Made 4 This” featuring JT Skye is on some flexing shit. I love how many times Adama references Jit in the track. JT Skye’s verse is pretty dope, complementing the first verse and hook from Adama. If you know Johnny the Cali trips line is true to life, Jit really doing his thing foreal doe.

So there are two tracks specifically on this project have a dope Hyphy/ Mac Dre vibe to them. These tracks switch up the album well the first being “Need 2 Know”. Johnny is definitely channeling his pimp shit on this one.

“Policy” is slowly becoming one of my fav joints on the album. The way Johnny rides the beat at the end of each verse is mind blowing. He can slow it up and speed up his flow whenever he wants, almost chameleon like. There are points on this track where he finds his pocket and just snaps on the beat.

“Think About” is a must listen on the album, if you don’t listen to any tracks at least peep this one. From the hard hitting icy beat to the ear worm hook from Adama, I hope he continues this style on his next project.

The final track on the album is “Passion”, dabbling more into that Hyphy sound Adama sets the mood for the track. Between the beat and Adama it sounds like he’s flexing in a Arabian strip club with hella bad belly dances, making it shake for him. Personally I love when Johnny gets on that pimp shit, no body else out here really bringing it like that. Video shoot at Turbo would be lit.

Adams’s style and sound on this project is what I feel the evolution of the quintessential St.Pete Hip Hop sound should be, building off what J Goodie, Ameen, Mari and Crown Marquiss built with their classic albums. His earlier album “Conflicted” was already my No.1 album of the year so far, but this project is fully the Johnny Adama sound. This one of the best projects to ever come out of the city, and already an instant classic in my mind. Keep droppin bombs on em Adama.

February 22, 2021February 22, 2021

Love=Hate.

On “Conflicted” Johnny Adama carves out his own lane in the St.Pete Hip Hop scene, combining elements of RnB with a chill Hip-Hop vibe.

The first time I heard Adama was on a track with Zhudaru1963 called “Blessings”. That track had more of a conscious vibe. This project puts Adama more in a RnB pocket fitting the Valentine’s Day theme. The album is a perfect blend of tracks for the ladies and tracks for the dudes.

The intro “A Vibe” is one of my favorite tracks on the project. The way Adama changes how he says “baby” at the end of each bar was a nice touch. This one has big Casey Veggies vibe to me. The production is real airy and spacey, my type of intro.

“Spell” and “Keep It Real” have more of a sing songy vibe to them. The later will have you looking for a real one, with one of the most ear wormy hooks I’ve heard in a minute. There is no short of dope bars and flows on this project. Adama is able to flow and spit with some of the best MCs the scene has to offer.

“Countdown” has early Franck Ocean vibes, I could see it played next to some “Channel Orange” tracks. “On 2 U” reminds me of one of those late 2000s RnB club bangers. Adama should shoot a video for this at a beach party. His flow and confidence makes it a smash hit in my eyes.

“Say U Luv Me” brings it back to those Casey Veggies vibes with a chill west coast ride out song.

“These Girls” produced by Dj Complex, has a Boom Bap vibe with a beat and hook that sounds like it could have been on Pac’s “Me Against The World” or another mid 90s album. “It’s Complicated” produced by Sean Taylor, places Adama back in that Boom Bap lane which I am a big fan of. The story telling on this track is top notch.

The last couple tracks “11:11” and “Distance” have a chill lush vibe to them with the outro “Distance” being one of my standouts.

“Conflicted” is one of my favorite projects to come out of the St.Pete Hip Hop scene, I really loved Adama’s versatility. There really isn’t anyone else in the St.Pete Hip Hop scene bring this type of sound. Can’t wait for whatever Johnny Adama drops next. Hopefully we can get some visuals for a couple of the tracks very soon.