Joey Mafia is a young rapper from Bethlehem, Pennsylvania that has some of the hardest hitting bars in the rap game today. With this new ‘In The Valley LP’, you will get a chance to hear Joey’s underdog story in its entirety, as he supplies us with this refreshing brand of rap music that is reminiscent of the stuff you will hear in the early 90’s.
Majority of this album is produced by Joey himself, and features fellow Hometeam Records artists A Mazdah, Caddy Mike, and Big Al Swagg.
THE STANDOUTS
ONE OF THE MOST LYRICAL TRACKS on this LP is ‘Hard Hitter’, as it has this rap cypher feel production-wise. The metaphors Joey uses on this song is phenomenal, as he entertains us with some of the most clever bars I’ve heard in a while. Aside from Joey spitting some tough s–t on his verses, I feel like the production is just as special on this song, as you are treated to DJ scratches and old school rap samples that allow for a complete hip hop experience.
ONE OF THE MOST UNIQUE TRACKS on this LP is ‘Warm Vibes‘, in which Joey raps over this game show like beat that will certainly catch your attention. You can tell Joey has some fun with the beat, cause he’s rapping with this exuberance that is a little more potent than the other songs on the LP.
Big Al is featured on the song, and he compliments Joey’s sound pretty well. You will love Al’s aggressive approach to the track, as he reminds us that the talent level at Hometeam records is top notch.
ONE OF THE MOST SOULFUL TRACKS on the LP is ‘Hardcore Hip Hop 2017’, as Joey raps over a beat that consists of old school samples, a passionate singer, and a really good tempo. Content-wise, Joey gives listeners a flashback to how rappers used to grind, giving very specific examples through this absolutely stunning flow.
SUMMARY
If you like hip hop from the streets, you will absolutely love this album! Joey has both the confidence and swagger of a rap legend on it, as he easily drops bars over mostly old school beats. More than anything, you will love Joey’s wordplay when he raps, as he does a great job of mixing and matching words.
The features on this album are all on point, as each artist matches the tenacity that Joey brings. Overall, you can tell that the Home Team has great cohesion with each other, because the album flows well in all major aspects (Production & Features).
I highly recommend this album, especially if you’re in the mood for something different than what you’re hearing on the radio today.
Listen to the deluxe edition of ‘In The Valley’ HERE
Quincy is the creator of Ratings Game Music. He loves writing about music, taking long walks on beaches, and spaghetti that fights him back.
