KTC Music Report: AmirSaysNothing releases thoughtful "We Are Who We Say We Are," JID drops highly-anticipated "God Don't Love Ugly"
- Kick The Concrete
- Aug 8
- 3 min read
Here we are in August. Where did July go?
The music releases this week include a few highly-anticipated projects and some pleasant surprises.
We are grateful to have so many friends of Kick The Concrete who continue to walk in purpose and elevate their craft. One of them is AmirSaysNothing who released his first album since 2021. "We Are Who We Say We Are" is a heartfelt project that transcends genre.
Then we have releases from a few artists who Kick The Concrete respects and appreciates from afar. Toyalove released an engaging offering, JID pleased fans with his powerful return, and we found an exciting track from a German rapper that we HAD to share with you.
Here is the Kick The Concrete Music Report:
AmirSaysNothing — "We Are Who We Say We Are" Album
AmirSaysNothing, a day one supporter of Kick The Concrete, released his first album since 2021 in the form of "We Are Who We Say We Are." The project comes after a season of grieving where Amir lost his grandfather, uncle and best friend. Through the process, he gained a greater sense of confidence and purpose that resulted in a beautifully eclectic album. "We Are Who We Say We Are" blends Amir's signature witty lyricism and thoughtful reflection with his influences of Southern rap, New York grit and alternative rock. Having Killer Mike and Project Pat as features are major bonus points.
reezy ft. AJ Tracey — "Born Spinner" Single
This song caught our attention off the clever title. Every hip-hop fan is familiar with the concept of "Born Sinner," but "Born Spinner?" We had to give it a listen. German rapper reezy spits fiercely over an 808-heavy beat and then welcomes British MC AJ Tracey to deliver a fiery verse and his own version of the hook. It's honestly a really cool song that transcends language to get you pumped.
Toyalove — "The Diary of a P31" EP
South Carolina artist Toyalove released "The Diary of a P31" EP as her personal interpretation of Proverbs 31, a Bible passage praising a godly woman. The five-track project sound fresh with snappy drums. There is a solid balance between "UP1" with urgency in Toyalove's vocals and "BETTER" with gentle guitar setting the tone for reflection about needing God as much as water. She definitely packs a punch in a short amount of time.
JID — "God Does Like Ugly" Album
JID is another artist who had a bit of a gap between albums — three years — and he delivered with his return, "God Does Like Ugly." The project is a mix of bravado and reflection with some rager moments and a beautiful choir on "Gospel." He also sprinkles in a few cool sports metaphors, shouting out Ja'Marr Chase, LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, Andy Reid and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. There's even a reference to Kendrick Lamar's classic track "Kush & Corinthians" as JID explores his own spirituality. The guest features are A1, including Ty Dolla $ign, Vince Staples and Ciara. Having Clipse on "Community" while the duo is riding high in their success from "Let God Sort Em Out" is MAJOR. There's a delightful reunion with Mereba on "Of Blue" and bridging Atlanta rap history with the OG Pastor Troy popping up on "K-Word" is super cool. This is a project that needs multiple listens to unpack all the goodness.
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