Jabee’s “Lucky Me” mixtape is remarkably fun to listen to, as the easy flow of his lyrics meshes with the melodic beats that float the rhymes. Those pieces result in a great set of tunes that will kill 34 of your minutes before you realize what happened.
Although the album is a pretty chill affair, Jabee puts on a show vocally. In the standout track “Jewels,” he raps quickly but evenly over old-school soul/R&B horns sample. “Coretta Scott” showcases his lyrical abilities, with a solid set of rhymes that boasts a reason for existence (alas, songs with “a point” are missing in much modern rap).
“Better” also shines in that regard, extolling the virtues of rap in keeping him on the straight and narrow: “That’s why I write raps / to keep the cuffs off / That’s why I’m like that / it keeps the rust off.”
But it’s not all brains and backpack rap; “Settle the Score” is a combination of putdowns and ego-boosting boasts that assert the alpha-male status of Jabee, Naledge and Thee Tom Hardy. Thee Tom Hardy steals the song with a confrontational rap of erratic rhythm that shines because of the contrast to Jabee’s smooth style.
The production is solid throughout. From soul to dreamy electronic beats to beatboxing and vocal samples, the beats are varied and keep the interest level high. “Lucky Me” is an excellent release, and Oklahoma City music lovers are lucky to have Jabee in the metro.
Pick it up for free at www.djbooth.net/index/mixtapes/entry/jabee-lucky-me/.
—Stephen Carradini
This article appears in Jan 12-18, 2011.