March 21, 2019

Take notes.

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Contributor

My city isn’t letting up anytime soon, and I love it. People don’t know Englewood’s place in Hip-Hop history, and thankfully we have some young acts who are looking to remind people it’s always been relevant but the best may be yet to come. 21-year-old Marley Q takes much pride in being from Bergen County, also referred to as Benjamin County. His new EP Red Cup Vibez is a 17-minute experience full of flexing, paying homage to Q’s influences, and showing off the different sounds he can play with within Rap, R&B and more Caribbean-influenced sounds.

“Gunna & Baby” pays homage to the Atlanta artists, and Q definitely embodies their style in terms of flow and sound. For lack of a more fitting word, he’s lit here. It’s upbeat and hype. A very fun track and for Gunna and Baby to get nods like this so early in their careers speaks to how they inspire artists like Marley.

“That Hoe” sounds along the A Boogie lane, utilizing melodic autotune and reflecting on women who don’t deserve his time. He wasn’t aware of the savage within, but now he’s bossing up and protecting himself. Unfortunately, this revelation comes after he spent money on her, but now he knows better and can do better. “She don’t deserve this life.” Talk about it, king.

“Mistakes” is honest, acknowledging he’s made mistakes but he’s young and has room for growth. We often are too hard on young folks, not recognizing they’re maturing in front of our very eyes. Making music can accelerate that, dealing with failure and haters. Marley is in a very clear state of mind here, floating over the hi-hats and telling a relatable story.

Overall, it’s a diverse and enjoyable listen. Surely I see room for improvement lyrically, but sonically and content-wise I give this my stamp. I love the fact it wasn’t all turn-up records, or sad-boy anthems. He managed to do it all, and with a continued effort the next project could cause an even larger splash. Check out Red Cup Vibez below from Marley Q.


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