You’ve got to show love for Jordan Stephens‘ backwards trajectory. Feels like its not a contentious statement to say that generally artists who get famous, often start with some credible dope shit and gradually get watered down culminating in pop. Jordan’s done the whole route flipped. Thrust straight into the mainstream at a young age as one half of pop-rap duo Rizzle Kicks and maintaining celebrity status since, it’s been revealing to watch him over the last few years make the music he might have wanted to make all along. Opting to make forward thinking hip hop with depth and a political edge under the alias of Al The Native and more recent genre blending tunes under the JS brand, it seems like maybe he’s just getting started. ‘Wicked’ feels like a celebration with a bit of disdain thrown in. Both sentiments feel like they’re probably justified. Don’t sleep.
