J’Moris pours his Southern sensibilities into tracks with a decidedly East Coast influence on his brand new EP, “Moris Better: The Hangover.” Hailing from Hillsboro, Texas, the rising emcee was inspired by lyrical luminaries, Scarface, UGK, and Chamillionaire among others. While studying their styles, he was also taking notes on the content and creative impact of past & present East Coast spitters like Biggie, A$AP Rocky & J Cole. There were lessons to be absorbed from each artist’s legacy and career. On this project J’Moris puts everything he learned to the test!
“Intro” begins our initiation into the rapper’s world with a Trapped out backdrop that allows him to give it all he’s got behind the booth. The MC delivers a rousing performance on the mic to stake his claim that he’s a force to be reckoned with. When it comes to lyricists the spitter says, “Put your favorite next to me/You will see J-Mor-is better.” A clever line. Time will only prove its accuracy. Next up is “Crazy” which finds the rapper expressing vulnerability by sharing his dysfunctional family history and the hatred he feels from others as he attempts to rise above his environment. The production is minimal and not particularly impressive…but it is effective in making his message the main focus.
“Mad At Me” is noteworthy for J’Moris’ humorous asides – “Why they mad at me?/ s**t I don’t know/ Is it ’cause a n***a chip game on Fritos?” while “Long Night” refreshingly switches gears with a slower paced soundscape that finds the artist in a more threatening mode than showcased on previous tracks. His darker approach to the subject matter works extremely well. The manner in which the track coalesces with his delivery builds a mysterious & powerful aura around the artist that should be capitalized on in future projects.
“Lesbian” mixes an acoustic backdrop with more Trap-enhanced rhythms. It’s actually a brilliant concept since other artists haven’t fully explored similar musical territory before. The only downside is that the rapper didn’t push the idea further. Had he truly stripped things down sonically and delved deeper on the lyrical end of the spectrum, J’Moris would’ve been on the verge of a masterpiece. As it stands though, the song is very good & hopefully a harbinger of things to come. “Foreva” concludes the EP with swift, assured rhymes packaged with minimalist production. It highlights the continuous push and pull we all endure in romantic relationships & serves as an admirable way to wrap up the proceedings.
Overall, the EP is a decent project from an artist who is working hard to create his own lane in the industry. J’Moris needs to provide more variation with his production and dig deeper within himself to produce stronger lyrical content…but he’s still developing as an artist. Give him the chance to master his craft and in time he will win.
– Kevin Keith
