Ahead of their upcoming project together, San Francisco-based producer Nick Andre and collective Jazz Mafia join forces once again for their third single, “L.T.D.” For his past two releases, Andre has been working closely with Jazz Mafia leading up to their joint album, most notably on the instrumental track “Up on Harvard Ave.”
Featuring Bay Area rappers Lyrics Born and Lateef The Truthspeaker, the two of whom have also collaborated with each other in the past, “L.T.D” fires off with horns blasting victoriously as if on the battleground, reassuring West Coast jazz rap is far from dead.
Lyrics Born takes the mic for most of the track with his relaxed voice, proving there’s never a shortage of one-liners in his writing. Across his two verses, he rides over the beat like it’s nothing, bringing a braggadocious attitude to an already triumphant-sounding home run of a song. Lateef The Truthspeaker backs him up on the hook, bringing a prominent West Coast vibe to his flow that works well against the horns played in the background.
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The production from Jazz Mafia and Nick Andre steals the show during the climax, breaking down into a full-on brass ensemble as Lyrics Born and Lateef take a step back from providing vocals. Like “Up on Harvard Ave.,” the track shows Andre and Jazz Mafia’s ability to repurpose jazz motifs into something better suited for a hip-hop structure.
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Without prior knowledge that all of the artists involved have worked with each other previously, it’s easy to gauge that bit of information when “L.T.D” finds all four artists and groups seamlessly coming together. Aside from the fact that they all come from the Bay Area, they stay true to the laid-back attitude of West Coast hip hop, all while proving jazz rap isn’t something exclusive to the East Coast. Three singles in, it’s safe to say Andre and Jazz Mafia’s collaboration is a pair to look forward to when their upcoming project releases.
Words: David Sosa
“L.T.D” by Nick Andre and Jazz Mafia is out on all streaming services. For more on new music and live shows, follow Nick Andre and Jazz Mafia on their Instagram.
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