Chicago rapper TheBe$tJR just released his first project “SINGLES” under his Legacy SZN brand.
The project starts with the instrumental intro “Every Single One” which provides the backdrop, setting the plot for the next six songs.
The first song “Legacy” shares the name with rapper’s brand. The beat is anchored by a building piano chord with an in-and-out type of drum pattern. The piano gives you the vibe of one of those old haunted house cartoons like The Adams Family. On this track, JR shows off his charisma and also gives us a glimpse into his motivation to achieve his place in the music business. This is probably one of his most punchline-heavy songs with a bunch of witty one liners.
On “Who Me?” JR gives us a look into his younger days and finding himself to be who he is today. “As a kid I tried to fit in, but God he made me to stand out, That’s why I wasn’t accepted, okay I understand now.” The beat gives vibes of spaced out late-night drives paired with a heavy bassline. After identifying himself, he even gives a little arrogance in the next verse “It’s weird when people congratulate me, I’m only at where I should have been.”
The next song, and my personal favorite “T’D” builds off the last song, and showcases JR’s lyrical ability as well as flow versatility. The song feels like a creation being born and brought to life, from the buildup to the actual lyrics. “I got it thumpin, got it live now, my heart is pumping I’m alive now.” This beat, similar to “Who Me” should definitely be played in the car, on the way to the function. The bassline is heavy but it is even more aggressive. JR sounds the most comfortable on this song as far as his delivery, where on the last two songs it may not seem as strong. He’s super in the pocket with his flow. Definitely a standout.
On “Lottery” JR speaks on being a star player, boasting a magnetic aura in any room he’s in. “I hope you you know the business like an MBA” Well, if you have an MBA, you better know the business. The beat is interesting. Probably the weakest on an otherwise solid production run up to this point. There is great mixing is very strong and JR is pretty animated, adding a nice flare to the song. The hook is longer than a normal hook, with one verse making it one of the shorter songs on the project.
On “Truss It” JR flows in monotone for the first half, setting up a quick muscle flex with the second verse flow, giving it a needed change of pace. Hook is pretty catchy. Overall, this song is cool and gets the job done.
“Differences” has production that sounds different from the rest of the project, sparking JR to switch up his tone and delivery. The beat is presented like a rush, running through a maze with a buildup breakdown that rivals a adventure movie score. JR is definitely in his charismatic bag here, with some nice wordplay as he plays to the strength of his flow.
Overall, SINGLES is a solid project. Most of the production is similar, but JR somewhat balances that out with his flows and charisma on each song. Very interested to see where TheBe$tJR goes from here.
ClassicSense 