Live Review: JPEGMAFIA taps Tommy Genesis for new single, 'ROUGH 7'

Baltimore rapper JPEGMAFIA first came to public attention with his creative and politically charged sophomore record Veteran in 2018. Now he’s back, teaming up with Canadian rapper Tommy Genesis for an aggressive flex in the Brandy sampling ‘ROUGH 7’.

Following on from his addictive 2019 record All My Heroes Are Cornballs, ‘ROUGH 7’ is a perfect blend of sultry R&B and powerful, exhilarating rap. ‘ROUGH 7’ begins with lowkey vocals over a prolonged sample of Brandy’s ‘Never Say Never’. It’s worth the wait when JPEGMAFIA and Tommy arrive with a confident, fearless flow that incorporates screaming and distortion masterfully; alluding back to JPEGMAFIA’s harshest cuts like ‘Baby I’m Bleeding’.

Though unusual sampling has always been at the forefront of JPEGMAFIA’s music and makes for a key element of past tracks, his music has rarely ever used as prolonged a sample as in this new single. Where it could have come across as dull, JPEGMAFIA and Tommy’s adlibs and distorted production keep the track suspenseful and fresh.

‘ROUGH 7’ comes in the wake of JPEGMAFIA’s 2019 Australian tour during which he performed at Listen Out and sold out headline shows in Sydney and Melbourne, alongside Slowthai and Denzel Curry. As the latest in a series of singles that were entirely created during isolation, ‘ROUGH 7’ continues to showcase JPEGMAFIA at the apex of experimental hip-hop. From his unique sampling to aggressive, quirky and politically charged rap, it’s a title well earned!

Words by Sean Tayler

Image via BeatsPerMinute

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