Project Description

CITIZEN KAY

“Belly Of The Beast”

(LP Review)

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Citizen Kay

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Who’s ready for a breath of fresh air?

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Canberra rapper Citizen Kay has announced that he will be releasing his new LP Belly of the Beast on August 25 and I’ve had the privilege of having a little sneak peek of the album before it’s due to be released. In anticipation to his new LP release, the rapper has released his lead single These Kicks as well as signing to Illy’s ONETWO label (a joint venture with Unified Music Group). To make things even more exciting for the artist, he will also be touring nationally with Illy, as well as embarking on his own solo tour.

As I first sat down to listen to Citizen Kay’s forthcoming LP, I had no idea what to expect as I’ve never listened to any of his work prior. As his debut EP Demokracy and his LP With the People were both nominated for Best Urban Album at the ARIA’s, I was excited to listen to something that has been recognized within Australian music that was completely new to me. With his current single Static premiering on Triple J on August 13, it was time for me to discover this talent.

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Citizen Kay

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After listening to the whole album, I thought it would be an extreme giveaway if I stripped down my thoughts track by track as I don’t want to spoil anything for the future listeners. Instead, I want to discuss the nature of the album and my favourite parts. I can’t express enough about how beautiful and definite the instrumentals are in each song. Each track sounds different and I felt surprised each time a new song began. The way that the instruments and the melody are constructed immensely supports the vocals as I was subconsciously focused track by track. In the opening track A Moment to Breathe, you really gage a sense of how the album is going to flow and will leave listeners open to interpretation as there are different sounds and vibes throughout its progression.

Citizen Kay made sure his album is exactly what he envisioned saying, “A lot of time was spent choosing my words, and how I wanted things to be said.” In saying that, his lyrics integrate themes of his own mental and emotional processes, as well as reflection. He also draws the distinction between ego and confidence as his lyrics emphasise the rappers strengths. Standout track Who Are You gives you that little bit of confidence to speak up and use your voice in times you may feel shut down. Another track Barred was extremely captivating to listen to as the artist uses dialogue from an Australian individuals opinion about our country and how Australian’s cause separation and that we should be celebrating diversity instead.

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Citizen Kay

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“Who are you to tell me what to do, or what to think, or what to say”

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As Citizen Kay migrated from Ghana to Australia at the age of six, I feel that he uses this LP to really push the boundaries and use honesty as the key to this incredibly cohesive masterpiece. He uses hip-hop and experiments by mixing other genres that makes each track truly personal and special. As the rapper has shared stages with huge worldwide artists such as Ice Cube and Wiz Khalifa, there’s no doubt he will rise to these greats with his ability to produce such grandiloquent tracks. If you’re into artists such as Machine Gun Kelly and G-Eazy, Citizen Kelly’s new LP will definitely not disappoint and surprisingly impress you.

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Looking for something that’s going to surprise you? Citizen Kay has got you covered.

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Citizen Kay

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Connect with CITIZEN KAY

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