Rarely do you come across such a well-crafted and fantastic combination of hip hop and rap — few attempt it, and even fewer succeed. In this case, J French has mastered the craft, allowing the full power of high intensity, rhythmically immaculate rap-works to seep through within lush and soft backdrops that drive the vibe catchier with his latest album, which features ten Originals.

J French, a rapper, multi-instrumentalist, and producer from Oklahoma City, has completed what appears to be a lifetime’s worth of music industry experience. Since crafting his first rhyme to Devin The Dude’s “Don’t Wait” at the age of 12, he has created his own publishing business and collaborated with various rappers in the Oklahoma-Texas and Los Angeles scenes, including RC & The Gritz, Erykah Badu’s official band, and members of TDE. Despite everything, J French remains as cool as a cucumber. He rigorously sticks to a self-imposed necessity to create music from the soul. “I’m determined to be heard,” French says.

Following that, the vocal takes on a more known and distinct form, effectively nodding to the mainstream sound of today’s hip-hop scene. Still, the rhythms and themes keep things interesting, and the music that pours over you as it goes works well to create a sense of tranquility and contrast with the vocal’s rhythm and outspoken personality.

On top of the music, J French’s voice is full of personality — his tone, his laid-back delivery style, and even his lyrics all point to an apparent love for performance and composing bars meant to entertain. 

As the songs’ titles suggest, this is a straightforward album with ten originals for everybody out there, beginning with an enthusiastic bounce and a calm kind of calm demeanor that complements the artists’ chilled-out vocal style nicely.

There are delicate musical intricacies in-between moments of intensity throughout this playlist.

J French is a musician that knows how to create an atmosphere and a moment with his songs, both musically and vocally. “Good Karma” introduces that sort of creativity in an instant, gradually developing a soundscape that is both modern and tranquil around its listeners.

The whole thing has a specialized finish to it, and it pours through with equal parts excitement and quick familiarity – the music settles in, as does the artist’s attitude, and there’s a lot to like musically, which sets it apart from the majority of recent albums.

The lightness is an essential element of it; things may be lively without falling heavy or pushing for crazily quick tempos, and J French is an entertainer who expertly pays homage to that.

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