(Photo By Sound Cloud)
The production here is suitable. The implied foundation, suspenseful background elements, laboring tempo, and shadowy vibe make for a striking impression. The hook is satisfactory. The delivery is faultless and the lyrics are valid. The echoing of the title could’ve been left out though. It doesn’t mesh well with the continuity of the beat. The prolonged verse brings everything together smoothly. Cezar provides a noticeable flow, sensible wordplay, and mint rhymes. He gives the listener the confident and strong attributes that one equates with the figure in the title in a subtle fashion. A couple of quote worthy lines include: “I need a whole plate cause my stomach growl. Where’s Trill Will? He on the way now. (…) These f–k n—as get in my way. Cause I pack it out like I play in the Bay. And I’m with the stacks like I live in the bank. These n—as want beef, all I eat is bistek. That’s no mistake. I have to say, you must commit if you want to be great.” Those bars right there paint a flawless representation of the track’s meaning. As a whole, this is a smartly chosen initial leak.
**My Two Cents: This is a rewarding appetizer. The production is of a reputable quality. And Cezar handles his business with the content. His goal as he releases music this year is to be consistent in trying new things with his sound & style. I believe “Lion” gives us a nice glimpse of that. Looking forward to hearing longer tracks as well as seeing if he applies his new approach to how he selects his subject matter as well. Stay tuned for more from the 414 spitter and his upcoming Free Dope collective. -MinM
