How We Intended: A Review of Marlon Craft's New Album

This piece is written by our friend over at http://computedbeats.blogspot.com Give them a follow @computedbeats

A lockdown EP in ‘Work From Home’ and 5 singles later, the Hell’s Kitchen-based rapper Marlon Craft finally drops his eagerly anticipated sophomore studio album ‘How We Intended’. 

The 27-year-old never shied away from speaking his mind concerning issues of the day. Most notably made famous for his work concerning police brutality, racism in America and other hot-button issues, Craft always eloquently criticized the system and its workings in famous tracks such as ‘Gang Shit’ and more recently ‘State of the Union’. This album, while still sticking true to his messages and stances on society,  is a 17-track work of art that shines a refreshingly introspective light on the inner workings of Craft. 

It is obvious at first listen that Craft has matured in his musical presence. The maturity is first vividly portrayed in his diverse selection of styles of hip-hop music to deliver the album’s message. Working primarily with producers XmΔne and Dan Edinberg, it is immediately apparent that Craft’s love for the brass/bass induced style of delivery has endured. This is noticed on tracks such as ‘2020 Intro’, ‘Lot To Give’ and ‘Grateful’. The production taste has expanded to include piano-based bops such as ‘Off Beat’ and ‘Where I Am’, funky vibes in ‘Wherever’ and ‘Lookin Up’, string-based rhythms in ‘At The Door’ and ‘In The End’ and whatever clock sounds producer Arbus beats used to make ‘The Workin Man’ beat. Craft also recruited the efforts of Logic’s producer 6ix for the heavy-hitting ‘Get Off My Yard’ beat as well as veteran producer !llMind’s talents for ‘Roadtrippin’.

With the help of this multifaceted team of eclectic sounds and producers, it was up to Craft to use that foundation to send the idea behind the album loud and clear, and boy did he deliver. The album starts off with Craft asserting his dominance in the intro, reminding us of his socially conscious stances in ‘Hoodie Weather’ and beginning the journey of introspection and wisdom as he knows he has ‘Lot To Give’. On that track, Craft uses a brilliant short-short-long motive to keep him in check with the beat in the first verse while discussing the transience of life, how success is meant to be measured and what really should and should not matter overall in the second verse. A standout bar on the track speaks to that measurement of success in the current social-media infested world we live in, he says: 

“Shit, it's hard to reach objectives when it's all subjective

I think success is feelin' blessed with all that you been blessed with

Without needin' all that bad dopamine that we all inject with

That buzz from that buzz in my pocket ain't a good high”

We then transition into him talking to his girl and appreciating living life ‘Off Beat’ while making his rhymes intentionally fall off the beat. Craft feels ‘Grateful’ for all the people in his life supporting him; he wants people to ‘Tell Me Today’ that they love each other, that he has not changed and will not change even if sad has gone mainstream as he so puts it in these bars:

“Depressed long before eighteen

So, what am I to do now that sad's gone mainstream?

I guess that I'll just mack wit' a brew and let the sun hit my face through the glass in my room”

‘Wherever’ he goes, he will always be there and be present. The proverbial old man in him wants people to ‘Get Off My Yard’ as he is ‘Roadtrippin’ through life’s “different styles, perceptions, and perspectives.” As he grows older, Craft is proud to put in the work himself and represent ‘The Workin Man’ among amazing wordsmiths in Oswin Benjamin, Chris Rivers, Bobby Feeno and Radamiz. He knows that this is ‘Where I Am’ and that he’s still figuring this life thing out just like the rest of us. He’ll always remain ‘Loyal’ whatever happens because he knows that things are ‘Lookin Up’ even though life keeps knocking ‘At The Door’. He knows if he sticks to these values and outlooks, ‘In The End’ he will be happy that he focused on living in the now. All of this is much more beautifully summed up in the spoken word ‘Outro’ to the album but gives us a tangible look and insight into what the album was all about in the first place. 

If you like boom-bap, jazz, hip-hop, modern socially conscious criticism of the system and getting to know an artist through their own lens in 48 minutes, then this is the album for you.