The Californian lyrical Hip-Hop artist Malek touches on the truth within his lively hit, "Message Over to You Now," off his recent EP 'No Lunch Breaks.'
Malek has seen quite the tough past, yet it has beautifully shaped his sound and music to be as raw and genuine as ever. From being kidnapped as a baby from his mother's arms to joining the military service and fighting in combat (not to mention staring homelessness dead in the face), it would be an understatement to say that his music is a testament of his growth.
With his recent single "Message Over to You Now," Malek goes hard with his textured bars that deliver a playful atmosphere while touching on facts to heighten a more serious tone. Giving us nostalgic old school vibes through his delivery and the track's groovy instrumentation, we love the energy and power-infused within this single.
"Message Over to You Now" begins with this playful and funky vibe through plucky bass lines, a dancey mid-tempo beat, and Malek's crisp vocal delivery. While he starts rapping and riding the beat with dominance, he tells a genuine story of the truths we must face as a society.
He adds incredibly honest and straightforward lyrics that we can't help but agree with, especially words like "still waiting on Breonna's killers to stand trial."
The supporting instrumentation rains down with lively brass instrumentals, melodic ghost vocals, and crisp drum patterns, ending the track with the utmost energy; we're captivated by every inch of this fiery Hip-Hop tune.
"Message Over to You Now" is one of the most stimulating, lyrically dense, and nostalgically sounding tracks we've heard this year. Malek has truly wowed us with his descriptive and raw lyricism, delivering truths we all must accept.
We're grooving away with your irresistible single, "Message Over to You Now." Could you take us through what inspired your honest lyrical content? What did you want to get across to listeners?
With the first verse, I wanted the listener to get an insight into my childhood, sort of an introduction to my roots, so that by the second verse, the listener can feel comfortable enough and more inclined to receive the real "Message Over to You Now" that's emphasized as it's thesis. I want listeners to reflect on our current climate and to spark the uncomfortable conversation of civil and institutional reform with their loved ones and peers. Do you always create such nostalgically sounding instrumentals within your songs like you did with "Message Over to You Now?" Do you have any artistic influences that might have inspired this sound of yours?
I grew up loving soulful, jazzy, vintage hip hop records. Unlike my debut album: "CAiroglyphic" which is very versatile in genre and sound, I wanted "Message Over to You Now" to embody soul in its very foundation in order to deliver my soulful message with a few soul sounds. Some of my influences for this sound come from artists like Marvin Gaye, OutKast, Sade, Sly Stone, GoodieMob, Nina Simone, Dead Prez, just to name a few. Seeing as this single falls under your first written and produced EP "No Lunch Breaks," could you take us through your solo creative process, and what it was like creating music solely from yourself that's tweaked to your personal liking?
Unlike working with a great producer with a new beat you've never heard before, creating the product and then writing and recording it by myself was a little more challenging. Challenging in the sense that the motivation and the freshness of the track needed to stay ziplocked sealed and consumed within a few day's time in order for it to still be good. I needed to find ways to motivate myself. To step away from one role and into another. Could you tell us about the concept and lyrical storyline you've infused into your EP "No Lunch Breaks"? What does this project mean to you?
"No Lunch Breaks", It's what happens when your hustle is pushed to the MAX. When your motivation is greater than your comfort. See I'd rather feed my passion than my belly. As a father, it means that my son's belly has to stay full before mine! My God, my family, and my grind ALL come before my lunches. What has been keeping you inspired in 2020?
Frankly, the sheer will to survive and the fear of leaving this earth without sharing God's gifts with the world for it's the greater good. Everyone has a unique gift for the world, you just have to find it, cultivate it, and share it.