Joey has proved himself to be much more than part of the 90’s throwback-boom-bap trend with his powerhouse of a debut B4 DA $$ (Before The Money).
I don’t have any criticism to a rapper putting a radio hit on their album, especially when the album is as personal and well thought out as Joey’s debut LP. He’s relatively underground and personally if I got on like Joey has, I would want to give back to my family and the friends who stuck it out with me. Having said that, and acknowledging “Teach Me” is very much a song made with the intention of getting airplay, I also have to say it’s one of the best radio rap songs I’ve heard.
Usually the critiques aimed toward radio tracks is that the lyrics, production, and song structure are very cookie-cutter. While the verse and hook structure on “Teach Me” is similar to the standard radio formula, Joey does not dumb down his lyrics or break up his flow to achieve accessibility.
The way Joey has made “Teach Me” into a wider appealing, catchy track is akin to the way Biggie made “Juicy” a radio track. There’s no absence of substance or coat switching, it’s simply a track structured with a more radio friendly sound. It’s actually impressive to see Joey is capable of creating this kind of track without losing his personal touch and style. It’s a sign of a really mature artist, and considering Joey is doing this on his debut record is very positive foreshadowing.
You can watch the video on MTV below
http://www.mtv.com/artists/joey-badass/
Art by your homie, Arthur Banach
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