Born and raised in East Harlem, Don Da Menace is an Alternative/Hip-Hop artist who has already created a buzz in the NYC underground music scene. Don was inspired by his late father, known as Smoove Da Menace, as he picked up his defining sounds and NYC flavorings, throughout his upbringing. “Falling Toward Success, Vol. 1”, is his first full length mixtape, and follows the success of his singles “Ruby” and “Enough (with Robert Eberle & Versa the Band)”, among others.
Don Da Menace clearly has a will to carve out his place in urban music while playing to the great lyricism of the past, bringing the fresh vibes of today and avoiding many of the tropes that drain the genre. Don delivers consistently strong rhymes on this mixtape, while using the extended track list for displaying musically exciting tracks. On top of this, the artist’s unusual vocals and nuances really twist things interestingly.
Right from the beginning, on the ambient sounds of “Tomorrow”, Don Da Menace floats through the mysteriously smooth haze to deliver deep-voiced, thought-provoking raps. There’s an immediately gripping atmosphere to “Cold War (Baba Child)” while Don brings a vibrant color out in his rhymes to keep the powerful momentum on this head-nodding track, moving.
Don Da Menace is rolling in atmospheric heaven on “Worth It” through intoxicating keys and lyrics that reference themselves within the track. Don gets experimental and melodic enough with the vocals that you’ll wonder how far he will drift from genre’s vernacular.
On “Highly Recommended”, Don taps into some 90s styled hip hop lyricism, while riding a soulful beat and thumping drums. There’s a raw beauty to the arrangement and the backing vocals here.
“Lowkey” ft. FT$ Teddy takes us into darker cinematic territory. The production is enticing and often hypnotic; Don Da Menace’s vocals dip and weave their way in and out of the instrumental with deft precision. The mood gets even darker on “Welcome Again Interlude” ft. FT$e, with Dom’s voice taking on menacing tones on an eerie backdrop.
Up to this point, at the halfway mark, the ideas and attitudes expressed in the mixtape, sync impressively with the instrumentals, making for a very immersive and atmospheric listen. “Haven’t Started” features a resonant piano, a throbbing underbelly, and a jaw-dropping verbal attack from Don Da Menace. By this time Don has switched his flows into overdrive, and floats across each subsequent track almost effortlessly.
“Fight of Flight” proves that Don Da Menace stands strongly on his own, while “Never Seen It” ft. THOMAS, confirms that he is just as able sharing the mic. The latter track sees the rappers racing against time, rapping with urgency to deliver their narratives. “Ribbon in Disguise” ft. Bknott maintains both the intensity and the momentum on another hard-hitting cut.
Aside from his voice, the thing that stands out with Don Da Menace are his lyrics. The way Don crafts his rap makes him a real competitor in the game. He seems to plans out every single word and produces some very interesting messages in the process. Don Da Menace music can be rightly lauded for its lyricism – namely for its poetic quality and clever wordplay, something that characterizes his work on this mixtape.
However Don Da Menace nuanced vocal tones and insanely original flows are not to be underestimated. Listen to how he moves from “Ruby”, through “Thoughts Everywhere”, to “Rap Shit”. All display Dom’s innate command over the microphone in different ways. Don Da Menace has a distinguishable voice that is deep, yet smooth and engulfs the listener.
When Don Da Menace starts rapping, his vocal command requires adequate focus to grasp not only what he is saying, but also the message he is trying to deliver. On “Falling Toward Success, Vol. 1”, Don Da Menace gives the listener a unique experience.
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Contact Information –
Manager – Ethan Felizzari (CK Records – Management)
Phone – (917) 426-5388
Email – ethan@ckproductionsnewyork.com
