Jude – Inner Light (Album Review)

Bar for bar, Jude can flex his rap muscles on any of your favorite rappers out right now, which is why I consider him to be one of the most intriguing gospel rap artists today. With his new album ‘Inner Light’, Jude not only raps phenomenally, but he also shows off this ability to be versatile musically, as he puts together a complete body of work all based off the glory of GOD.

SONGS

1. I’M BACK (INTRO) (4.8/5)

You can tell Jude is licking his chops to speak his blessings on this song, as he hops on it with this boss-like approach. I love how exact he is with his words, as he combines these knowledgeable bars with this formidable flow.

This is definitely the perfect song to open the album with!

2. MINDSET (4.8/5)

The pianos make ‘Mindset’ smooth and pleasant, and both Jude and MRD make the song very meaningful content-wise.

Jude opens up the song with this calming/melodic approach, as he aims to remind us of his purpose on the mic. Not only does Jude end up motivating me on this song, but he also uplifts my spirits by approaching the song with this ‘keeping it straight no chaser’ mindset.

MRD does a great job of instilling his true feelings into his verse, almost sounding like he’s reading out of a diary of his life. I love how emotional he gets from line to line, telling me that his destiny led him to this very song.

Jude ends the track strong, reminding us not to fall victim of all the misleading things in the world. I feel like this is the best way to end the song.

3. HEART OF A LION (4/5)

Jude is pretty aggressive on this song, as the beat creates this platform to lay down some frustrations.

Pierre Lot hits us with some great punchlines on his part, as he effortlessly drops some jewels about the strength that has been given to him by our LORD and savior. You can tell Pierre is having fun with it, as he raps with this loose and energetic vibe.

If you aren’t motivated after this track, you gotta drink some red bull or something.

4. INNER LIGHT (3.9/5)

‘Inner Light’ has the same title as the album name, and somewhat serves as the album’s theme song.

This song glows, as Jude sings with this exuberance on the chorus. You can feel the spirit in the way he’s singing, as his vocals combined with the bright production makes for this positive feel.

While the song has this pleasant tone to it on the chorus, Jude still raps in this tough way on the verses, convincing listeners to find GOD and follow the path he has carved out for us. It’s a beautiful topic, and one that he makes sure we do not take for granted.

This song is catchy, and something that will draw you in for sure.

5. FILL ME (4/5)

‘Fill Me’ is short, but still gets its point across (Which is providing this hard hitting rap track that catered to get you amped up in every type of way.).

While Jude raps with the same heinousness that your favorite rappers rap with on his verses, he instills the energy of Christ into his lyrics (Which means it’s useful energy he provides) .

6. BE OK (3.9/5)

‘Be Ok’ is a bit of a different sound for Jude, as he raps over this pop inspired beat. Jude does welcome the challenges that the production provides, almost sounding amused at the idea of rapping over it.

Jude is determined to have his day remain in tact, despite the trials and tribulations that he goes through. Despite the unfamiliar production, Jude still shines bright, finding a way to rap with this consistent flow throughout.

On the chorus, you get this fruitful sound, something that listeners will consider ‘family friendly’.

I love how Jude discusses some of the everyday situations that people go through on this song; it is definitely refreshing!

7. FIND MY WAY

‘Find My Way’ is as dynamic as a song is going to get, as you can tell Jude wanted to ensure that every emotional aspect that a song can have is featured on this song.

The chorus sets the tone for the topic at hand, as it displays the emotion that is needed to be felt to make this song work. Jude picks up on these emotions, and makes sure the grind/hustle he took to find his way is felt by listeners. The flow that Jude uses is flawless, as he’s able to keep up with the fast tempo beat.

Pierre Lott’s part is short, but necessary, as he plays that second perspective on how relying on GOD helped him get to where he needed to be.

I’m a huge fan of introspective songs like these.

8. GROWTH

‘Growth’ is definitely one of the toughest song on this album, as it has this gritty/abrasive sound to it. Jude raps slowly on this track, making sure listeners hear every single word he delivers. You’ll find yourself bopping your head at every single bar he delivers, as he is pretty much flawless with his words on this song.

Jude takes a stab at laying down some vocals on the hook, and he impresses me quite a bit! He shows great passion, solidifying the impact this song can have on the listeners soul.

9. NO BODY (4/5)

‘No Body’ is all about having some fun with it, as Jude creates this energetic song that has this throwback sound to it.

Jude is hoping to get everyone to dance on this song, rapping/singing with this joyous tone throughout. You can tell Jude wants to spread the love of the LORD by his spirited approach, and it certainly resonates with me.

Shooz has the second verse, and I love his care free attitude on it! You can tell Shooz understands the impact that GOD has had on his life, and doesn’t care if people judge him for showing his blessings through this animated approach. I am definitely feelin’ Shooz’s verse.

I can certainly see this song being played in a few party-like atmospheres.

10. KNOW ME (4.6/5)

Jude opens up quite a bit on this song, as he describes all the things he had to overcome in his life to become who he is now. His words seem very personal to me, as he calls out a few individuals in his life that tried to drag him down

More than anything, this song directly shows the impact that GOD has had in Jude’s life. I feel like it is an extremely relatable track, and one that lets people know that they should keep following their dreams no matter what.

11. ON ME (5/5)

‘On Me’ is heavy hitting, with Jude rapping both aggressively and confidently on his verses. Since the song has this kill-a-rapper type vibe to it, you knew Jude had to give us bars galore (which he did).

I love the flow Jude raps with, as he toys with the beat, almost treating it like he fathered it. He twists his words effectively, adjusting his flow over and over again.

The lyrics on this song are appealing to me, because you can hear the hunger and determination to be great from him. You can tell this track was something he was destined to make, and he took advantage by being clear and concise with his words.

12. BLACK STAR (4.5/5)

‘Black Star’ is the perfect way to end an album to me: It’s touching, it commands your attention, and it is very heartwarming.

The gentleness of both the hook and the beat provides listeners with this fantasy-like feel, giving Jude the perfect platform to lay down these influential words. You can hear the excitement in each line Jude drops, as he raps with this optimism that is truly galvanizing.

This song is all about good vibes, and I am sure it will give you an extra boost of energy for the rest of the week.

OVERALL RATING (8.5/10)

With this album, I feel Jude created quite the experience for listeners. Jude keeps you on your toes from song to song, never being afraid to experiment with sounds, while keeping his own sound in tact. Versatility like this make this an album that can be universally accepted, as there is a song for everyone.

The rapping on this album gets an A+ for me! Not one song do you feel Jude gave a lackluster effort, telling me that he was all the way in from start to finish during its making. I was impressed with the flows he used on each song, his aggression, but most importantly his content, as he let us know that his relationship with GOD is one that can be very relatable to us. Very good contribution from Jude.

While this will be considered a gospel album, I think it is more than that, it is a solid body of work by a talented artist. You can’t question Jude’s love for rap music, and definitely can’t question the impact that the LORD has had on his life. Kudos to him for staying true to himself in every type of way on this album.