Corry BanksBaltimore-bred, Los Angeles-based emcee E Major presents the self-directed music video to “Slow It Down”, the August Flight Gordon-produced single from Baltimore Bruin, his new album featuring Marc Evan, King’s Khrysis, Kaimbr, UllNevaNo, Rome Cee and Kane Mayfield as well as original production from Rexamillion, Khrysis, Roddy Rod, IllMeasured, Minus Nine, Eddie Pearson and Sham Dibiase.
When I was presented with a couple of E Major joints back in the summer I knew there was something really genuine about this Baltimore Bred emcee. A quick listen to E’s flow and heart felt lyrics is all that is needed to know that he’s focused and determined to make the whole world a believer. The subject matter of his album plays like a plea for escapism to better times and a better place.
The Baltimore Bruin, E Major definitely plays the underdog and the everyman in this rough around the edges epic tale in the form of a hiphop album. If you dig melodious boom-bap Baltimore Bruin is worth checking out for sure.
On joints like “Feature Presentation” E Major finds himself with a classic east coast swag over a track that reminds me of subway rides thru an urban landscape. E Major flows on this one like the wise Sensei who’s seen his share of tough days but declares better days to come.
“Outrageous” finds E Major riding a Mad Lib track (same track from Mos Def ft. Slick Rick – Auditorium). He rides it rather well too. This is one of the joints on the album that I found myself repeating.
On “Slow It Down,” E Major seems to be a bit more hungry and the track feels good. The chopped and screwed / slowed down sort of hook is a dope contrast to the big claps, heavy kick and synth lead. Good job here.
On Baltimore Bruin, there are a couple of rough spots where E Major’s product could have been spruced up a bit with better mixes / mastering. Still, overall E put together a decent piece of work.
A bit more about E Major from my man James Dunn of DUNN DEAL PR, “E’s album Better Than Yours had already made Baltimore City Paper’s top ten albums of 2011 – two years after dubbing his Majority Rules album “a classic” – by the time his hit “Paper Runnin’” started doing the rounds on 92Q, later remixed by local legend DJ Booman. Wielding common-sense lyricism and a relaxed, persistent flow which presides on equal footing over boom-bap and trap alike, E’s shared stages with Lupe Fiasco, Wale, and Little Brother and has gotten the nod from Okayplayer, MTV, VH1 and DJ Booth. Three videos from the project have already been released: “Outrageous” (watch here), “Feature Presentation” (watch here) and “Zodiac Freestyle” (watch here). “This video was actually the first one I made after moving to Los Angeles,” says E. “Visually and sonically I was exploring my new surroundings. The track has a woozier, more mellowed out feel that was influenced by the laid back feeling I get being in LA and I wanted to represent that feeling visually as well so we went all the way from Joshua Tree to the beach shooting images.” Baltimore Bruin is available now on E’s Bandcamp page.”