Emmitt James F/ Camb – “Black University” (Demo)

(Photo By Sound Cloud)

The production here has a nice groove to it. The down to earth base, flush background details, informal rhythm, striking horn element, and ruminative vibe make for an idealistic combination. The horn could be dialed back just a smidge though. The hook is excellent. The delivery is energetic and the lyrics are motivating. The verses are perceptible. Emmitt and Camb take two verses each to drop jewels on the record. The duo embody self-possessed flows, truthful wordplay, and intrinsic rhymes. They do an excellent job of giving the listener a well rounded perspective on the life of an individual who is the first ever in their family to go to college. Emmitt James commences with: “But something still missing. Maybe a fourth and fifth job so I can help my sister. If I can scrape up gas money I’ll be home for Christmas. Cause I heard she miss me. But I’m on a mission. So I empathize and tell her it’s a phase. Cause no matter where you are, there’s always money to be made. Marketing mentality. Black University. See the world for what it is and got rid of that church in me. Cause when I got older that doctrine didn’t work with these majors chords.” The authenticity in those bars right there is very admirable. As a whole, this is a valuable offering.

**My Two Cents: As a first generation college student myself, I thought this selection hit the nail on the head. Emmitt and Camb captured the mindset, struggles, and just overall likeness of a person in that position flawlessly. Also, the James Baldwin clips definitely made an impact. The beat was pretty choice too. I think for this to just be a demo, Emmitt did a stand up job. But by all means take a listen and decide for yourself. -MinM