Produced by: Great John
Recommended Tracks: 1999, Murda She Wrote, Mi No Sabe, Tip Toe (Bonus)
When an artist on the rise talks about an album release, I can’t help but get excited about the possible collaborations the artist will feature. Most times, the result is a gumbo of musical texture and experimentation that satiates even those who are overwhelmed by the continuous music releases.
Then, there’s the anticipation of delving into the mind of the genius behind the mic. Albums usually evolve from a specific motivation or theme that an artist is interested in at that particular time while in studio and consist of a couple of songs that can set the mood for you as a fan to relate to.
For Sleepy Hallow’s album, “Still Sleepy?” released on June 2, my expectations were neither extremely high or low. Yet, with the Jamaican – American rapper hailing from Brooklyn, one thing’s for sure is that the foundation that was laid by rap legends, such as Notorious B.I.G., Lil Kim, Jay-Z, Pop Smoke, and many others, gives any rapper much to stand on and live up to.
Despite that pressure, to my surprise Sleepy Hallow stands on ten toes with his album containing only one feature — he collaborated with Sheff G on “Tip Toe (Bonus).” Nowadays, it’s an anomaly for a hip hop artist to write, rap, and release a full album without the comfort of features. So, for Sleepy Hallow to execute that exemplifies rare talent?
As I navigated my way through the whole album, I noticed most of the tracks shared a similar lyrical landscape. With “2055” and “Scrub” as examples, both share the same storyline as they describe the artist’s experience with a woman. Yet, they stand out on their own through the outstanding production and mastering. In recognition of the excellent production execution on this album, I must applaud the producer Great John for putting together some killer beats on each of the songs that nestle tightly with Sleepy’s trap voice.
With all 14 tracks on the album being intense and well packaged, Sleepy’s trap style goes all out to give his peers a run for their money. One standout track that demonstrates this “1999.” Immediately, I am swept by the flow and the artist’s dexterity, which is entirely mesmerizing.
“You shouldn’t love me; I’m dangerous. Mama said, “Look, boy, you famous.”
-1999
These lines open up the “1999” song, and I can not avoid being fixated on the song as I anticipate what is coming in the next line. On the song, Sleepy raps about success in his career and how he’s able to whether any storm that may result from fame. If he is able to continue to release solid projects like “Still Sleepy,” then he may not have to anticipate storms, instead, he’ll have a warm hip hop bed prepared for him to stay as sleepy as he wants.
You can listen to the whole album on the link below:
Sleepy Hallow Bio
Having started his career in 2017 with tracks “Disrespect” (released in July 2017) and “Haters Hurtin” (August 2017), the Brooklyn rapper has churned out more singles, including an album recently released. Signed under the record label Winners Circle Entertainment, Inc and RCA Records, 2019 saw Sleepy work relentlessly on two full-length projects, including features on songs like “Lightwork freestyle” with Sheff G and his debut mixtape, Don’t Sleep. Sleepy has made his mark in trap and drill music and is already respected by other rappers in the game.
To listen to more songs from Sleepy Hallow, I leave you with a link below so that you too can live the trap.
