“Five Years to Live”: JTM’s final album
JTM’s newest album, “Five Years to Live,” is not only his last but also offers a personal glimpse of the local rapper.
The album, which debuted at number two on the iTunes hip-hop and rap charts, details the rapper’s struggles with mental health, fame and change. In a blog post accompanying the album, JTM said he wants the album to “be a constant reminder that you are not alone during the painful trials you are experiencing and you are absolutely loved.”
“Five Years to Live” contains more of JTM’s signature squeaky-clean and generally upbeat raps. The rapper also features plenty of guest artists, many of them local.
One example of this is Orem native Jenn Blosil’s vocals on “Something to Prove.” Blosil made it into the final 14 of “American Idol” in 2016, and her performance on this track makes it clear why she made it so far. JTM’s flow works well within the funk beat, which makes this a fun song to listen to.
Another great song off the album is “Holiday,” which features Taylor Bennett. If that name doesn’t sound familiar, you might know Bennett’s brother, Chance the Rapper. Both JTM and Bennett show off their rapping skills in this track. Bennett is a master of assonance, or similar-sounding vowels, throughout his feature. Meanwhile, JTM shows off his use of double entendres in lines like this: “I’m frank wit cha, listen, I ain’t talkin’ ocean.” “Holiday” has a laid-back reggae feel which perfectly lends to the idea of living life like it’s a holiday.
Listeners searching for a song to play at their next rave should look no further than the last track, “Vivelo.” This song features a different artist every verse, including Jay Warren, HG Free and Junior Maile. The beat drop of both the track and music video will have listeners partying the night away.
While the title of “Stay Woke” may be a cliche, this track emphasizes the core message of this album. With a piano playing interesting chords and some inconsistent drum and cymbal hits in the background, JTM talks about the importance of staying true to yourself. Unlike some of the other songs on this album, this one has JTM talking directly to the listener. In the last line of his brief speech, JTM says, “Ain’t trying to crush dreams or shatter your rainbows, but you could be the difference, so baby, just stay woke.”
If JTM’s focus was to make an album to help listeners feel happy and relate to others in their trials, this album fits the bill.
—alek.nelson@aggiemail.usu.edu
@nelsonalek