Until recently, I wasn’t familiar with LA-based artist My Favorite Color, but he has put out some incredible music over the past couple of years and I’m glad he’s now on my radar. Typically, I lean towards a style of music that many Hip-Hop haters would consider ignorant or meaningless, but that’s just my preference for whatever reason, although I’m a fan of all genres and types of music in general. I can say with the utmost certainty that MFC is the complete opposite of this, and he truly takes time to make every part of every song as perfect as possible. His most recent EP Velma is the perfect example, and although this was the first cohesive project of his that I actually tuned into, he truly brings you on a sonic journey that contains so many different styles, sounds, and narratives, you have no choice but to pay attention.
After an introduction track with no words, “The End” gives us our first peek into MFC’s mind, and it’s a hell of a start to the project without a doubt. Resounding synths mixed with snaps create this momentous feeling as he rotates through different vocal layers, some that are subdued while others are more enthusiastic than ever. As soon as the beat drops almost a minute in, a smooth bassline creates a foundation for him to show off his enthralling personality, giving us a wonderful introduction to the rest of the project as well as MFC as an artist himself. The following song “Still” utilizes a new spin on an old school boom bap style instrumental, and MFC takes this time to spit some hard-nosed, aggressive bars that pierce through your ears like a little girl at Claire’s.
A few songs later, we arrive at “Month or Four”, and this gives us another new spin on a more classic style. Guitar riffs combine with thunderous drums and rattling percussion, providing a beat that sounds somewhat simplistic but it’s much more detailed than it appears to be. MFC uses this time to bounce along with the beat, starting out with a sort of call and response style before switching up his cadence constantly and showing off a variety of aptitudes that are going to open your eyes and prove that he’s undoubtedly a force to be reckoned with in this industry moving forward. After a brief interlude of some sort, we’re introduced to “Just Another Rap Song.” which is much more than what it sounds like. Here, MFC talks about the struggles he has been going through throughout his life and highlights how it might sound similar to other songs you’ve heard in the past, but these battles are truthful and he’s not just making them up to win over your affection or catch your attention in the slightest.
The following song “Say My Name” is probably one of my favorites off of the EP. Cloudy, airy synths create a light foundation that is interrupted by crashing drums, allowing for MFC to get some of his anger and emotion out of his soul and out onto the table. Although there is a lightness to certain parts of this song, there is also a dark side that is very revealing, and somehow these two vibes work together in such an appealing manner. After a couple of more tracks, the EP’s title song “Velma” sends us on our way in a very smooth, relaxed fashion. The tempo is slowed down a bit as synths or keys of some sort slide back and forth. MFC slows his delivery down as well, but he plays with his words and the instrumental incredibly and leaves us with a taste of his artistry that is going to linger on our minds for the foreseeable future.
Obviously, there are more songs than what I mentioned, but some were singles, others were skits or interludes, and if I mentioned others, this article would have turned into a novel. When I saw that he was releasing an EP, I assumed maybe 6 to 8 songs that would have a runtime anywhere from 12 to 16 minutes, because that’s what most artists provide in this day and age. Well, My Favorite Color isn’t like most artists as this project’s content would clearly suggest, and he gave us 12 songs that run almost 35 entire minutes. That’s longer than certain studio albums that superstar rappers have put out in the last few years. Every part of this EP was clearly meticulously thought out and handled to make sure it was as perfect as can be, and I absolutely think MFC knocked it out of the park. You’re going to want to get in tune with My Favorite Color if you haven’t already, and Velma is the perfect starting point, so make sure you carve some time out of your busy day and listen up.