Hailing from the land of the Union Jack and signed to B-DEM Records are JLB and R0kitman who offer listeners two maiden cuts from their UK Hip-Hop debut titled Faded – JLB//R0kitman
JLB is a producer and an avid DJ whose musical styles comes from the influences of various genres which is shown in his production work which covers UK Garage, House, Drum & Bass, Bassline, Dubstep, Grime, Hip-Hop and R&B. He is mood-setter and the music starchild of this collaborative duo.
The rhodes-drenched “Sway” is a brilliant jazz-infused track with chin-strokin’ swag. The bells chimes, those dearly-missed snare claps and the hypnotic, space-out synths just enhances this charmer of a song as R0kitman glides through the track smoothly.
R0kitman is a smooth storyteller with unabashed coolness, he laces his lyricism into a fairy tale flow. He sounds distinct like Common in his performance and he enunciates in the right places for prominence. We hear he lives as a rapper out of his campervan.
Listening to “On Another Session” which has received some airplay on BBC, it’s easy to understand the chemistry between the duo as each matches the other’s output with finesse. The lyrical flow is emotively in sync with the music (and sometimes lighthearted) in this melting-butter-on-pancakes kinda sexiness that it exudes.
“I ain’t got wifey so she hit me with a likey / she a proper rudegirl like she represented Nike /
She said she like my vibe G / I’ll be here all night G/
she reckons i’m a hipster cuz my jeans are fuckin tighty”
With the rhodes and deep vibes, JLB deftly peppers the chorus with a light Drum & Bass groove. This track just grows on you if you give it a second listen.
Popwire wishes them success and awaits to see them break through and garner the attention they deserve.