This extended play was released on May 28th this year. Isa Ibn Wali is an MC based out of Asheville, North Carolina, although he is originally from Oakland, California. He also apparently teaches a course called Hip Hop 101, which is really cool. I had zero expectations going into this latest EP because I had never heard any of his music before. I wouldn’t be writing about it now if I didn’t think it was worth checking out though.
The opening song is called The Proclamation, and it’s produced by someone named Ruen.
I think this is my least favorite song on the project to be honest, but it’s still very solid. Nothing about it really stands out in a bad way. It just doesn’t have much replay value for me, mostly because I don’t love the instrumental. The beat kinda sounds a little dusty to be honest. It’s not even a bad beat though; it’s just kinda dull. Isa’s performance over it is pretty good. It’s not great enough to make me look past the dry production, but his flow is cool, and the lyricism is actually pretty nice. I feel like I learned a lot about Isa just through this one song. He’s in his thirties, he has a child, he’s God-fearing, and his mother is who got him to start rapping.
My shorty's getting bigger, gotta prepare him for a world without me
Targets on my back, but I wear 'em proudly
No hate on my heart, so I when I rest I sleep soundly
I was born in it, so how could you ever crown me?
We connected to the most high, how could you ever down me?
Tried to hold me under, but couldn't drown me
Might know a different person depending on where you found me
The words ground me
That's why I don't write too many hooks
These are pages to my book
Some memories still leave me shook
I made it out of where they couldn't, and I'm grateful for that
But some days my only wish is for a day to go back
I can definitely relate to that last couplet. It’s this odd feeling of wanting to go back to a horrible situation just so you can respond to the circumstances differently. Ever since I got out the hospital I’ve been thinking about my time there, wondering how I could’ve done better. He also mentions not writing many hooks, which is something I think could be a hinderance to replay value. This track is just one long verse. Well, according to Genius there are two verses, but there’s no break between them, so it just sounds like one. I don’t know if a hook could’ve made me like this song in particular more though. I don’t think anything could make me wanna hear this instrumental again. I do like the record scratches that come after the verse. Overall, it’s a very solid track.
Track 2 is called Come What May, and I actually really like the beat. Ruen came through with a much better instrumental here. That sweet, sweet musical redemption brings warmth to my spirit. The beat is kind of dark and melodic. It sounds like something Logic might’ve spit on around 2013. I mean that as a compliment of course. The opening verse from Isa is pretty tight. His flow is cool, and I liked the writing in which he praises God while simultaneously dissing those who have racist views.
My mind don't work the same, trauma is a strange thing
Hope He sees I tried, and some things I just couldn't change
Angels on my shoulders everyday writing pages
Talking to myself telling me to have patience
Humble at heart, but I'm a poеt when I pen thesе phrases
When I read 'em I can see myself at different stages
I actually like the second verse even more than the first one though. The references to God throughout the song are pretty interesting to me even though I’m not really religious at all. As an agnostic person, I find the concept of God really fascinating, and I think about it a lot.
If this be my destiny I pray the reign is long
And when I'm gone, say a prayer for the days I was wrong
I left a piece of me in the words of all my songs
I don't know when I'ma go, but I'm tryna to hold on
I know I'm not, but I feel alone
And I don't know if I ever felt at home
But I know when I'm out my zone
Had to find my worth, without the throne
'Cause the power lies with Him, not the stone
Thought we were on the same side 'til the truth was shown
Who woulda known, only I, and the most high
I don't even want to give dap when I stroll by
There’s not really a hook on this track; the verses are divided by a clip of Malcolm X speaking, which is cool. Overall, this song is a definite step up from the opening track. I think it’s pretty good.
The following track is called It Was Written, and is produced by DJ Pain 1. I like the beat on this one even more than that of the preceding track. It kinda reminded me of Jeezy’s Go Crazy when it first started, but it’s not really the same. The lyrical content of this song is really nice to me. It’s basically a love-letter to the practice of writing. As a writer myself, I felt like I really “got” this track. I can definitely relate to some of the sentiments expressed in the verse here.
I wrote this for the days I feel like giving up
I wrote this for the days I feel I ain't good enough
I wrote this for the times I felt I had to be hood enough
And I wrote this for the hood 'cause one day we gon' live it up
When I wrote this, I felt like a million bucks
But I wrote this for the days when it feels like living sucks
I wrote this for the ones who feel stuck
And for those who feel like they couldn't have bеtter luck
I definitely appreciated the words of support for Flint & Gaza. The writing is pretty straightforward, but it’s very well done. There’s actually a hook at the end of the verse with some additional vocals from Mama Melody that sounds pretty good. This is another nice track. I think I like it more than the preceding one. It’s really good.
The penultimate track is called Murder Me, and it’s produced by Jon Brown.
This is the most Christian song on the whole project. He’s pretty obviously rapping from the perspective of Jesus here, which I personally think is a really cool idea. The only issue I really have with this song is that there’s only one verse. I just wish he took the concept further because I feel like he was only scratching the surface. Honestly he could make a whole album with this concept and it’d be fire.
Can't believe they had it in for me
But I knew that He would send for me
Been a topic for some centuries
And though they've studied me
They barely scratched the surface
Was in the service of my people
But my powers made 'em nervous
Now I'm to return to this Earth to finish what we started
But I know soon as I touch down they gon' see me as a target
The hook is pretty straightforward, but I think it’s good, and the acoustic guitar driven production is nice as well. This is a really good track, but I think it could’ve used a second verse. Maybe even a third verse.
The closing track is called Precious Jewels (OG), and it’s produced by YNI.
It’s technically a bonus track, but this is easily my favorite song on the project to be honest. It features an artist named Billy James who spits a pretty nice verse, as well as my favorite hook on the whole project. The “I feel the blessings comin’ at us” refrain is really cool. I think this “OG” version is different than the one in the music video. This one seems to have a slightly altered instrumental. It lacks the bass slides that are prominent in Drill music. I prefer this OG version personally. I think the beat sounds better. The opening verse from Billy James was really nice, and Isa killed the second verse.
Akhi I'm blessed, but my faith's low I confess
Sometimes I feel close to death, like I'm grasping on to each breath
Pray to get armored up like Teflon
Took Ls and I kept goin'
Hope I see you in the next one
Next check I need six o'em
The hook is seriously an earworm. There’s really nothing I dislike about this track. The beat doesn’t stand out a ton, but I think it’s pretty good. The song’s really dope. If you only check out one song from this EP, it should probably be this one.
This is a good EP. I honestly think each track is better than the last. The production ranges from decent to really good, and Isa’s writing is great. The religious—specifically Christian—content is tackled in a pretty accessible way. At no point does it come off preachy or overbearing. Isa has a good, albeit standard flow. The featured MC was great too. I really don’t have any consistent gripes. I think the song structures could’ve been a bit more ambitious because sonically this project isn’t particularly unique. The writing is the main thing that stands out to me. I’m really glad I checked this out, and I look forward to hearing a full length project from Isa Ibn Wali in the future. Check this project out and let me know what you think in the comments. I think it’s pretty nice.
Favorite Song: Precious Jewels (OG)
LEast Favorite Song: The Proclamation
Focus Hip Hop 
What do you think?