MAMARAZZI’S REVIEW SAMUEL DAVID’S ‘SOUND ADVICE’ “IT HAS TO BE DIFFICULT FOR BLACK MEN LIVING IN AMERICA TO READ THE NEWS AND NOT WONDER WHEN THEY’LL BECOME A HEADLINE OR A HASHTAG. WITH ‘SOUND ADVICE ‘ SAMUEL DAVID SERVES AS A HIP HOP PROPHET DOCUMENTING WHAT THAT EXPERIENCE IS LIKE IN TODAY’S SOCIETY”— MAMARAZZI ENTERTAINMENT MAGAZINE
Samuel David released “Sound Advice” on May 1, 2020.
SAMUEL DAVID gave us a forewarning of what was to come of his newest album project when he collaborated with Yellow Brick Music’s Smoove on the recently released single titled “Swivel.” The catchy hook of, “Lately my focus been pray up/stay up/stack up/stay up/cycle repeat/ Got to keep head on a swivel/they’ll try to come get you out here/man ain’t nobody safe,” becomes an infectious mantra. The album can play all the way through without any skips which is something you can’t say for some of the mainstream music being put out these days. With every track a vivid picture is being painted about the plights of Black men and yet the desire to make it out of the Black experience alive. In the same way that “Lemonade” was Beyonce’s soundtrack for the
Black woman, “Sound Advice” serves as a head-nod to the brothas. In “Time Don’t Wait,” Samuel David reflects on how fleeting time is and the senseless murders happening in his city. He mentioned the shooting death of Elbert “Pooh” Costello’s son. The tragedy impacted so many Wichitans. In the aftermath Pooh asked for no retaliation—something Sam admits he would struggle to have done. On “Affairs In Order” he warns any enemies coming after him to do just that—get their affairs in order. At the time of this review I don’t believe Samuel David announced that Chris Barnett was on the album. It was a pleasant surprise for fans of Barnett who haven’t heard him on a track in years. If that’s not a verified stamp, I don’t know what is. If you can bring a hometown legend out of his nesting place for a feature, then the album had better be dope! The two effortlessly murk every bar on the track. One of my favorite tracks on the
album is “Tiffany’s Song.” As a 2Pac fan I appreciate when artists can tell a story and make you feel like you know every character in it. Pac did that with “Brenda’s Got A Baby.” Sam put on his storyteller’s hat to tell us about a misguided adolescent teenager who gets caught up with a street guy. SPOILER ALERT: We learn more about Tiffany’s father on “Tic Tac Toe.” Turns out track number 6 and track number 7 is a story thread. Can’t-get-right Johnny has a toxic relationship with his baby mama, Tiffany’s mother. The track got some help from Anjie B who helped capture the song’s inspiration, a childhood rhyme. The album wraps with “Word to Life” which in my opinion was a great close-out track. It delivers a powerful message even in the midst of such vulnerability from Sam in the song’s lyrics. Okay, this track may be another favorite of mine. I’m entitled to have more than just one! Here’s some sound advice. Stream it for yourself!