I don’t really remember what I was doing at 14. It is unlikely there was anything useful on the daily agenda. My friends and I walked around the mall a lot. I remember that. Also, I am fairly certain that Led Zeppelin and Atari were each a big part of every day. I think I’ve hit all the highlights. The goals of Generation X teens in Upstate, NY consisted primarily of finding different ways to slack off.
Fast forward about thirty years, and a few hundred miles south. There we find Your Friend Jaden. He is a 14-year old rapper, beat maker, and ukulele player from New Jersey. Clearly, he is using his time much more productively than my lazy friends and I ever did.
The ambitious and talented young songwriter showcases his tunes on his SoundCloud page. I listen to a lot of music everyday. Most of it is created by people a lot older than Jaden. Some of them could learn a thing or two from the young producer.
His song “Massive” is one my favorites. A perfect Lo-fi Chillhop groove sits at the heart of the tune. It consists of a jazzy piano sample, an old-school Hip-hop beat, and a nice low synth bass. Jaden raps over the beat about his plans to have a “Massive” career. His technique and rhymes are spot-on.
Other tracks include “See Me,” a ukulele groove matched with a fat Hip-Hop beat. And “Afford,” based on a dark series of organ chords.
Jaden is already a talented artist. He claims he is going to be “Massive.” I’m no psychic, but smart money says he might be right.