Photo via Maal Himself
Maal Himself
Milwaukee emcee Maal Himself has plenty of life experience to draw upon for his new album, I Wish You Could See What I See. A veteran of the local hip hop scene, as well as a husband and father, Maal encapsulates a greater worldview than most on the project. The pieces of the puzzle dictate the style of the album, with the substance-driven “Safe” and the personal family tale of Alzheimer's Disease on "Grandma's Hands." The tracks capture a duality that Maal describes on the album intro; tragedy vs. triumph. That concept is expounded upon within the greater context of the album, and was part of the creation process earlier this year.
“Renz Young and I started working in February. Everything was recorded in February and March. We got a lot done before COVID-19 hit” said Maal. “But we took the extra time to decide the sides of the album, the track flow, things like that. It actually helped us a lot.”
Another big note on the release are the featured verses. They include Young, who produced on the album as well, Camb, and Emmitt James on poignant opener "Mourning Papers," all of which have local ties. Additionally, there are features from lyricists Mickey Factz and Skyzoo, notably on the recently released track, “Above Ground.” The track was a hallmark moment for the emcee.
“Skyzoo is one of my favorite pens. Something told me ‘just take the shot’” said Maal. “Someone put up one of my songs on Instagram, and he liked the post. I reached out, and he asked for some other music that I had done. I sent him some tracks, and he was like ‘let’s do it.’”
The makeup of I Wish You Could See What I See showcases a very complete sounding artist, capable of making records that appeal to both a more lyrical hip hop fan, as well as those who would rather hear about luxury and put lyrics to the side. The end result speaks to Maal Himself’s capability as a writer, which sounds like one of his best works to date.
|
|
