At long last, after many gray hairs and disbelieving scoffs, Jay Electronica has delivered his official debut album A Written Testimony. And if that isn't enough to entice, consider that the project is basically a collaboration effort with Jay-Z, who spits elite tier verses on damn near every track. In short, anyone who has been steadily awaiting Elec's triumphant return can take solace in knowing that the man delivered a solid and lyrically dense body of work.
And while some were suspicious upon seeing Travis Scott as one of the lone features, "The Blinding" stands out as one of the project's most immediate and sonically intriguing cuts. It won't be surprising to see comparisons to Watch The Throne begin to manifest on this one; there's a back and forth element, futuristic soundscapes, and Scott's vocals sound closer to a sample than anything. Where the song truly shines is through the emcees, both of whom seem rejuvenated by the other's presence.
"Listen, I named my son, Sir, so you gotta call my son "Sir," that boy already knighted, he ain't even out his romper," spits Jay-Z, in his opening bars. "You speakin' on the kingdom, you better watch your tongue, sir, I send you where you never been, you forget where I'm from, sir?" Closing things out is Electronica himself, alluding to his own deliberate tardiness in a tongue and cheek fashion. "Extra, extra, it's mister headlines, who signed every contract and missed the deadlines," he raps. "40 days, 40 nights, tryna live up to the hype, it's the road less traveled, it's the one who missed the flights."
QUOTABLE LYRICS
Listen, I named my son, Sir, so you gotta call my son "Sir,"
That boy already knighted, he ain't even out his romper
You speakin' on the kingdom, you better watch your tongue, sir
I send you where you never been, you forget where I'm from, sir?