New York, NY (Top40 Charts) There's a new rapper coming out of Brooklyn, New York whose new music is already lighting up the city.
Hearkening back to the "old-school" rap of the 1990s,
Jerome - AKA Talk - brings a unique sound a delivery that is unlike anything else in the rap game today. In fact, it was his disappointment and frustration with the monotony of the hip-hop genre in general that made him choose to walk away from a promising career in music about eight years ago. But his friend and mentor, Capitol Sho, ultimately helped him see how true his potential was and encouraged him to embrace his skills.
"We've been friends for 10 years and he's like my big brother," Talk said of Capitol Sho. "He's my big homie, as they'd say in the streets. He's a rapper who has always inspired me, and I often look to him for advice because he's honest and gives me good opinions on everything. He doesn't cut any corners. He's just a great friend, which is rare and hard to find nowadays. And about five years ago he told me I had a dope perspective on things and if I could put that into music I'd be a dope artist. I started from there and went for a little while before life hit and I got a bit sidetracked. But I got myself back together and I'm taking it all the way now. And I credit him for a lot of this. He introduced me to it, and now I'm producing my own stuff and have taken it to another level that he never thought I'd get to."
Talk's most recent projects is a seven-track EP called "Talk Ain't Cheap," which he plans on dropping on May 31. He said the songs feature a variety of sounds that showcase his diversity, playing to the ladies on a couple of singles while also getting gritty for the street crowd on others.
The first single from the EP is called "Leave the Work," and features Capitol Sho. It's a song that he said explores the dynamics of a relationship with a woman ยบ spending time with them and getting them to do you favors after you've done them favors. He said it's a song with a "little bounce" to it, with some hard 808 beats driving the song forward.
The second single is called "Alone," and also features strong 808 beats, though with a much slower pace. This song is also about a relationship with a woman, but with a different twist.
"It's basically about guys who leave their women in the house by themselves so that they can go hang out with their friends," Talk said. "It's like they don't understand that there are other guys out there who are interested in that female. So in this song I'm kind of telling a female, 'Why are you alone? Why is your guy gone?' I'm basically saying that to her, but I'm also saying to the guy, 'You better get her before I take her.'"
Talk said that even with songs like that, he hopes fans who listen to his music will be motivated and inspired and realize that they relate to the lyrics he's bringing to the table because he's lived the same things. He also hopes to bring a strong fusion of old-school and new-school to his raps, paying homage to the great rappers who have come before while also leaving his own mark on the industry.
