When Snoop Dogg said, on his celebrated single “Gin & Juice” from his classic debut album (Doggystyle), “I got the cultivating music that be captivating he / Who listens to the words that I speak”; who knew that a Long Beach boy, in the arms of his mother, would be doing exactly that. That Long Beach boy grew up to be known as Nephew KEN, and on his recent release “The Birth of Nephew”, he shows us the product of Snoop Dogg's words, and how the legend has influenced his own musicianship.
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KEN presents himself as a triple threat on this project: producing, rapping and harmonizing throughout all twelve tracks. There are two prominent bangers on this album. The track “Poverty” features a harsh, haunting piano chorus, and galloping 808 drums that fulfill each verse. On the track, KEN and his standout guest rapper, Kingston the Barber, trade bars that paint vivid pictures of the challenges of living young, black and impoverished in LA. “Elevate” is an upbeat, club-ready cut, whose gliding synth, bouncy bells, and hammering trap drums also highlight KEN's unquestionable gift of rapping. On my personal favorite, “No Fashion”, KEN shows us that when it comes to melodies, he is nothing to play with either. He floats smoothly over the hook, crooning across an airy synth that blends beautifully with his vocals; an obvious ode to the late-great G-funk legend Nate Dogg, himself. All in all, this is a solid, versatile debut by KEN, that will leave you wondering just how the “Nephew” of “Uncle Snoop” plans to outdo himself next.
“The Birth of Nephew” [Download]
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