UK jazz-hop pioneer Born 2 B makes a triumphant return with his highly anticipated solo debut, "BLUE NOTES, BEATS & RHYMES." Over the course of eleven tracks, he melded traditional Blue Note jazz soundscapes with hammering boom bap beats; it was a collection that resonated as both soulful and subversive. The album reads like a proclamation of heritage and rebellion, announcing the return of an artist whose legacy is carved deep into the UK hip-hop timeline.
The EP provides a glimpse of the way Born 2 B manages to straddle the wall between tradition and his own experiences within the streets, best exemplified on “BLUE NOTES, BEATS & RHYMES.” “U Don't Know” is a brawny, rugged boom bap anthem: an unabashed indictment of deception in government and societal inadequacies with liquid talisman, the texture of Born 2 B's righteous indignation through his characteristic verbal knife flow. In contrast, “Who Am I?” takes it back to the Golden Era with his lyrical showcase and time-tested cadence
Returning to its jazz-hop roots, the album reaffirms Born 2 B's jazziness. On “Born 2 B's Riddim,” he revisits his roots with an air of confidence, combining jazzy elements and massive breaks to form a body of work that pays homage to where it all began while simultaneously pushing boundaries for today’s audience. Every track contributes to building an equally retrospective and reactive body of work from the long-serving UK artist, showing that Born 2 B has not lost a step.
Born 2 B evidently has experience aplenty with Us3 and Ninja Tune, but on his own, he sits squarely between then and now. This release is vital for capturing what made jazz-hop important while still providing a bridge towards the future. A triumphant reminder of the potential of music to educate, dissent, and uplift.
"BLUE NOTES, BEATS & RHYMES" Available Exclusively Via Bandcamp