Building up the Colossus brand and running the blog has not been an easy, straight-forward journey. However, what drives me and keeps me going is the relationships I have developed through this work. Of the many blog-artist relationships I have developed, Shane was one of the first ones. He DM’d me way back in May right around the same time I had made plans to expand artist submissions on the platform. He first sent me “Heart?” and immediately the flow and vibe of the track pulled me in. Shane has that clean, old-school Brooklyn feel that isn’t nearly appreciated enough these days. I have been bugging him all year about when his first big project was going to drop and it finally did at the end of November. Let me introduce you to Shane, the Shaman, and his debut EP, I Hear You.
The Vocals:
One of the reason’s that Shane’s flow first attracted me is because of its imperfection. To some that may sound strange, however, this helps him play into that old-school vibe. Before the days of mumble rap and this new school stuff, verses didn’t have to have perfect flow. Instead, they made a point. Go back and listen to any late 80s or early 90s hip-hop record and you will find what sounds like imperfections in the flow or cadence of the vocals. I have never seen these as imperfections but instead a part of the art. Just like poetry, hip-hop has cuts, breaks, and hiccups. Does Shane need to work on his cadence at times? Sure…but I also feel that it gives him that old-school, roots-of-hip-hop vibe he is chasing.
“Bring It On” is hands down his most lyrical on the project. It has witty, hard-hitting lines that leave you thinking and analyzing. This is a Brooklyn born track through and through. Every lyrical rapper coming out of that borough always seems to have at least one track in their catalog about the place they are from. “Bring It On” is Shane’s version of this. He then moves into “Again” which is quite different. It’s got a chill, love song vibe, however, it is missing a female vocalist. He has some great bars on the song but never really focuses on the chorus. If he went back and really built out the chorus and featured a woman singing it, I think “Again” would be fire.
The Beats:
I will preface this section with the fact that I do not know where Shane is getting his beats from. He could be making them himself, using the help of a friend, or grabbing them from the internet. Regardless, he does a great job creating a vibe. They all fit extremely well together and make you groove along. I love the flirty piano keys on “Peace” as it really sets the stage for what we are about to be listening to. “Bring It On” has hands down the best beat and I swear that little saxophone sample is from a Pete Rock and CL Smooth song. Yet, I could be completely wrong.
The Production:
Before I get into the overall production value of I Hear You, I have to talk about “Bring It On” one last time. I love it when rappers spit without a beat. It takes a lot of talent to be able to sound good without a beat supporting you. Shane does a great job at the entrance of the track and really sets the stage for the rest of the two minutes.
This EP is the perfect introduction of Shane, the Shaman. He is young, independent, and still underground. Before he gets anywhere, he will need to build a strong fan base and I truly think this is the perfect project to do that. With this thirteen-minute EP, he gives new listeners a taste of what he can bring to the table and leave them hungry for more. It’s got solid mixing, hard bars, smooth beats, and a great vibe.
The Essentials:
Listen to the whole thing plus listen to “Bring It On” more than once!
The Rating:
I really like Shane if you haven’t been able to tell. This guy has a ton of talent in my opinion and I am extremely excited to see what he does with his music. Even if he always stays underground, I will always be a big fan. Every time he sends me a new track, it seems to get better and better and his ceiling of potential raises more and more. With all that said, I Hear You is just the beginning for Shane and I believe he will only get better with time. I Hear You gets a…
Very solid 8
If you are an old head or just listen to rap like you are an old head, you will appreciate Shane’s style and lyrics. Trust me on this one!
– Heff
Colossus Music 