Review: Pay the Man - @lowcollege (words by: @RamseySaidWHAT)

"Everybody can't go where we going."

Joe College speaks truth about the journey. This was the only recurring theme in this project considering it rang off before every song crescendos in. Perhaps it's not as deep and figurative as I'm making it out to be but I felt it. You could also take it literally considering they just switched coasts on us and he's out in LA these days. It's been awhile since I reviewed a College project but I wasn't expecting another one this year given the success of CivXSav Forever.

This won't take long as listening these seven tracks only takes 24 minutes of your time. These days that's been the trend of these EPs or Albums (whatever you want to call it). When I asked him he chalked it up to coincidence.

"It ain't an EP, it ain't a mixtape, it ain't an album. It's just Pay the Man lol"
Joe College

I sat in a studio session with College and Party about two months ago. There was a beat with a particular 90's R&B sample that I have to keep under wraps that they were working on. The &Drew produced beat didn't make the project; however I attended a recent show at the Saint in Asbury Park, Drew informed me that it might make the cut on the album we can expect next year, a homecoming of sorts. Let's rap about Pay the Man.

The lead single, Right Back, got a visual treatment the day it dropped.When Right Back came out I should have expected a project but I wasn't sure considering CivXSav Forever dropped last winter. It sounds a little different opening up this listening session, but it still holds weight. Ya N***a Could Never which features Luv Child follows up. I thought this verse sounded familiar. Per College that was the verse he originally had planned for that aforementioned 90's sample produced by Drew. Good thing he went with this one because it fits nicely to the smoothness of the beat. He flexes his signature braggadocio flow while Luv Child cosigns with a less than arrogant more than humble outro of his own. Drew and Party collab on a production tip for this one.

For Mom (Sunset) is next up and features some background vocals and production from Party. Joe College is a clever fellow. The title of this track is lowkey a double entendre. It's a message for his mom that her son is set (Sun-Set, get it?). Maybe I'm thinking too far into it but the song is dope. It's a beautiful conversation between mother and son. It's interesting to look at parent child relationships from retrospect as we age and this is penned wonderfully.

Remember Day Sut? She got the feature on the next track Shame on Us. Wesley and Spike Lee strike again (Joe College and Party Michael). The addition of Long Branch native, Day Sut helps make this some real life mood music. Pay this in the whip with your shorty windows down on Ocean Ave on a warm day. Speaking of music for the whip, In My Jeep is the only track solely produced by Qdottdavis. After listening to this I must say Q is one of the most slept on producers in Jersey. The problem with a lot of artists is they don't know who they are and follow whatever trendy sound is the new thing. Q has their identity figured out. The CivXSav Music clan is one of the most complete in that aspect.

All put two tracks had features on them but none of them were from another rapper. All of them were R&B singers. The blend of R&B and Hip Hop on a whole project make for a great mesh. We are seeing College mature sonically and in wordplay. Without Me is so mature. Sure he brags but what rapper doesn't. The track is about a breakup that didn't end in toxicity but because the timing was off. Who in their mid-20s has that figured out (and also raps)? Just saying. Although this wasn't meant to be listened in any particular order the sequencing was still pretty good. It almost sounds like a beginning middle and end as far as as story goes. College and Qwik took off for the City of Angels so this is gonna have to hold us til they make it back home. Godspeed. You can grab Pay the Man anywhere you stream your music but I've made it easy and embedded it below. Press play.