Jake LefcoPhilly hip hop has been on fire the last two years, dropping some of the tightest records in the hip hop community. It may be my hometown pride, but you just can't shake the fact that Philly is running shit. Philly, after all has released such bangers as Reef The Lost Cauze's "Feast or Famine," The JuJu Mob's "Black Candles," Adam 12's "Skeletons," Kenneth Masters "Products of Gravity," and most recently, Army of the Pharaoh's "The Torture Papers," which features a majority of Philly natives. And not to mention plenty of mixtapes and compilations, KRU's "Hogan Fam", Krush Unit's "Status Flo:2," The Mic Sounds Nice mixtape, etc,.
But let's get to the record on hand here, another of Philly's sons, Jake Lefco is here to hit you off with his latest release, "Headphones", featuring four new bangers for your listening pleasure. You may of caught him on the Hogan Fam joint or 40th Dimension's "The Crop Report." One of the things that will catch your ears about Jake's style and delivery is that he's laid back and isn't trying to be something he isn't. You're not going to hear him spit about some gangster ass shit like clappin' dudes or slingin' bundles, rather he exudes a good time vibe and just speaks his mind about the shit he sees around him, and anyone from Philly already knows, all you need to do is zone your neighborhoods, there's all kinds of wild shit going on. Shit is rugged, and Philly sure as hell doesn't need another Gangsta with something to prove.
The title track, "Headphones" starts this boy off with Jake taking jabs at women for, well being women. As any guy can attest, as beautiful and lovely as they are, they can get under your skin with some bitch antics. The ladies may not want to admit it, but this song is the truth. The production by Snuff, who has really come into his own, is laid back, but packs a punch, definitely a nodder. The next joint, "Cats Out The Bag" features the greatest emcee to bless a mic since Biggie. Reef has the tendency to outshine on every song he's featured on, greatest example of this is A-twizzy's "Grade Curve." This song is dope, lyrically the two MC's are letting you know their coming up in the hip hop game. The beat has that nintendo sound, but it features enough middies and lows to keep it knocking hard. Probably my favorite song lyrically from Jake is the track "Get Pleasant." He's just laying down rhymes about a Friday night in illadel. The lines are witty and refreshing and features a real laid back beat with some nice little highs in the mix. Closing out this 12" is aptly titled "Keep an eye out,"and features some nasty scratch work courtesy of DJ Kwestion, it adds some nice grittyness to the laid back beat.
The layout does it, simple little graf logo in shades of green, silhouetted picture of Jake over a diagram. Good shit. The production from HappG, DJ Kwestion, and Snuff was dope, would've liked a little more scratch work, but overall the tracks knock and compliment Jake's style and delivery.
Rating: 4/5
Songs Worthy of Replay: All of these tracks were catching replays
Thesis: Anyone who says a white cat can't ride a beat has never heard the likes of Cage, The High and Mighty, R.A Rugged Man or Philly's Digs Darklighter and Adam 12 and you can definitely throw my man Jake into that group now. And let's not forget all of the great white boy DJ's and Producers out there holdin' it down. Be on the lookout for two full lengths from Jake, "And Your Are," (Summer 2006) and "Missing Troof," (Oct. 2006).
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