Jay Electronica first amazed fans with the incredibly captivating Act 1: Eternal Sunshine back in 2007. Leveraging the score of the film as a foundation, Jay’s intricate and original visual rap style made him an instant favourite. That along with tracks like ‘Exhibit C’ landed Jay Electronica a deal with Roc Nation in 2010. Few artists of that era created the hype and possessed the promise of Jay Electronica. Fans eagerly waited for his debut album…and waited…and waited. While Jay Electronica popped up for the odd release or guest verse (most notably on Big Sean’s ‘Control’) his album remained elusive. As the years past, hype turned to frustration, and eventually hopelessness.
Nearly a decade after signing, Jay Electronica finally dropped his debut A Written Testimony. Arguably the most long awaited hip hop album aside from Dr. Dre’s still unreleased Detox, it’s mere release was beyond surprising. Adding to the astonishment comes the fact that A Written Testimony is a collaborative release with Jay-Z. Written in 40 days and 40 nights the project showcases Jay Electronica’s immense talent while also reminding fans why Jay-Z is the greatest of all time. Clocking in at 10 tracks with one being the intro, it’s a short but impactful. A masterwork that’s already been creating rap album of the year discussion. While it’s way too early to be making that call, it’s undebatable that this is something special. Early standouts include ‘The Blinding’ with Travis Scott, ‘Flux Capacitor’ and the emotionally moving ‘A.P.I.D.T.A.’ Give this one the respect it deserves though and bump it from front to back.
