Bronx rapper John J thrives in the world of rap, but unlike some of his peers who direct their energy towards shock factor and distortion, John J, threads dense rhymes through his raucous vocals and catchy refrains. Built on 8 tracks his latest project “Never at Peace” sees the artist expanding his world of hard-hitting with darkly textured soundscapes, while delving into the varying degrees of menace that cloud his outlook. John J avoids the proclivities of the mainstream, promoting...
Do lyrics and rhyme schemes mean anything anymore? If recent rap and hip-hop culture is any indication, artists seem to rely less on lyrical content and technical ability and lean more to the sound at hand, slightly catering their lyricism to whatever flow someone else made from a soundboard a thousand miles away. No real sounds, no real words, no real technique. Or words of any real meaning. The Bronx rapper, John J, is one artist doing his part to...
On “Still Howling 5”, the Bronx rapper John J uses his signature aggressive flow with its emotional vocal inflections to preach, teach, and reveal. Melodramatic storytelling has always been his shtick, and his ability to acknowledge different perspectives of a situation on several songs add plenty of depth to his character. John J’s latest studio album turns the fire that his previous albums lit, into an absolute wild fire. In my opinion, this is one of the best album’s he’s...
From the moment the 7 track EP “Underachievers 2” opens, John J, Stotty P and King Low show their style. They set the stage for what is a creative extravaganza that unabashedly embraces and surpasses their previous release “Underachievers”. The rappers retain their gift for making multisyllabic, exposition-rich tongue twisters seem effortlessly conversational, and the cinematic accompaniments are as engrossing as ever. All rousing swells and hyperkinetic beats carry the intense raps and exquisite hooks, deliciously delivered by the...
“Still Howling 4” is exactly what it says, the fourth EP in the series which started a couple of years ago. More importantly, it features its creator John J The Wolf in full-on old-school mode, dropping a litany of classic verses. It’s full of fire and full of John J’s always-impressive skills. It also reminds us, why so many hip-hop fans, believe that the rapper hailing from the Bronx, is wearing the underground crown. The recording represents an honest good-faith...
“Underachievers” is a 6 track project by the artists John J, Stotty p and King Low. On the whole, it’s an effective strategy. John J’s irrefutable star power complements Stotty p and King Low’s untamed swagger, making for a very winning combination. Three very different worlds collide on this album, and it’s nice to see the rappers stepping out of their respective comfort zones. Pop sensibility is thrown out of the window as the creative underground and alternative mindset arrives...
Hailing from the Bronx, John J is one of the best kept secrets in underground hip hop. The passionate emcee rocks the mic with a unique style, reminiscent of 90s era golden age flows mixed with a new twist— heavy, meaningful lyrics and a powerful delivery. Inspired by the greats, Tupac, Nas, Joe Budden, AZ and Jay Z, John J is a force to be reckoned with, one any real hip hop head should be following closely. John J is...
“Still Howling 3” is grown folks Hip-hop. This is Introspective album where John J delves deeper than the surface on a number of relevant personal and societal topics. This isn’t for those strictly looking for club bangers. It’s for those that are trying to hear some soulful hip hop and push their own growth. John J definitely drops jewels in this, pushing the growth of Hip-hip forward. The Bronx rapper really opened up his heart with this album and it...
John J the Wolf no doubt has some of the greatest and most diverse talent that the mainstream rap world has yet to know. His newest EP release, “Still Howling Two”, is another impressive showcase of that luminous talent. The EP obviously presented John J with a challenge of sorts. He wouldn’t have an entire album to showcase his skill, instead, he would have to say everything he wanted to in just seven tracks. Cutting down a full length album...
I’ve been a strong supporter of Bronx rapper John J the Wolf since I reviewed his “Still Howling” album, followed by “The One You Feed”. And I can truly say that his latest album release “Pain to Power” is his best, most accessible piece of work (album wise) hands down. I’m talking excellent beat selection, excellent radio ready songs, excellent features, and excellent lyrical content. The overall product shows how much John J keeps refining his craft at every turn. This...
