Rap is an extremely tough genre to be vulnerable in, but that probably doesn’t come as a surprise to anyone who is familiar with the genre. Most of the time, artists are solely concerned with having the most expensive clothes, the fastest cars, the shiniest gold chain, or whatever else will earn them the title of “the biggest flex of the day”. Whether that’s what an artist needs to promote in order to get views or to cover up their real introspections, there is simply no changing this because it’s what the majority of hip-hop listeners enjoy, but that doesn’t mean it’s the only way to turn heads.
If you don’t believe me, just ask Sækyi, a Ghanaian-American, Virginia-born emcee who is putting all of his efforts into changing the landscape of rap as we know it, and so far, I’d say he’s doing a pretty remarkable job. Although you won’t hear too many flexes on his latest album Angels Don’t Call Me, it’s the break that I personally needed to refresh, reflect, and reconsider what I may have previously thought was great music.
Sækyi doesn’t leave a single stone unturned on this project, using all 9 songs and 23 minutes of runtime that were executive produced by Brandon Jhon to dive into topics that may not be the most effortless to discuss, but he does so with. composure and captivation. You can hear the passion, pain, and emotions that he is going through in real-time as he lets you tag along on this expressive auditory journey, diving into themes that will most likely hit close to home for most people.
One of the main narratives references his love interest, someone who he clearly cares so deeply for, but they seem to have gotten away, and he is still far from fully recovered. Even just the names of these records show how much. love he still has for them in his heart, but once you press play on these tracks, you’ll hear just how true his words are, but also how impressively consummate he shares them with his constantly growing audience. Although I still want to know more about Sækyi and his story, Angels Don’t Call Me is a wonderful look into who he is, where his head is at, and most importantly, where his heart is at.