If anyone was doubting Dark Daniel's rapping ability after his first project, Underestimated, they were sorely mistaken and wonderfully surprised. Upon going through White Noize's second full length entry into his catalog with Hunger and Dedication I realized one thing; this rapper isn't playing. White Noize is here to stay. Beyond sticking around, he continues to flip narratives while building himself up into the polished recording artist you'll hear in album number two.
In "Unbreakable", the first track off the project, Noize makes a line referencing how he used to be a "zero" but now he's no longer "counted out", a bar that meshes with someone whose felt like an underdog the majority of their career. You can feel the quite real and intense passion White Noize has behind every phrasing as Unbreakable pulls you right into the universe of Hunger and Dedication.
Noize keeps the inspirational vibes on ten with the introduction to "Amazing", there's an aside in the beginning where Noize talks about how he saw this Tik Tok and a week later his homie had a job. Dark Daniel even croons a little bit with auto-tune in the latter half of the track. "Pretty fucking dope how I alter perceptions", which is exactly what he's been doing throughout both his LP entries in his catalog. "If you're feeling damaged, use my words as a bandage, believing in myself boy I'm never abandoned." Another bar fully encapsulating this unexpected heroism, White Noize hones his signature style via his uplifting lyricism and pop rap beat selection. Hunger and Dedication will stimulate your needs if you're lacking some positivity.
In GVO (Good Vibes Only), White Noize flows over a faster instrumental with a snappy snare drum. He details different reasons to keep pushing, leave the past in the past, and focus on the current good times. "Now sit back and watch me kick my thesis, okay to joke around and be facetious." rhymes White Noize to start the track off with strong phrasing.
White Noize slightly switches up the beat selection choosing to flow over a dusty J-Dilla sounding lo-fi old school beat with "Here We Go Again". A solid beat choice but you'll notice its distinctively different from previous songs on the project. "Trying to get some cake off this sweet 16, got a potty mouth a bit obscene, hard to climb a mountain when you're swimming upstream." White Noize filled the track with bar schemes like the previous. Probably my favorite record on the album due to its structure and technique used to approach this song.
Noize kicks up the flow velocity a notch in "Sweet Escape" taking a chop like rhythm as he strings rhymes together such as "nervous, purpose, surface, deserve it, person, surfing", its faster than the usual White Noize rap speeds, impressive and enjoyable. Highly recommend giving this a spin, he goes for a minute and a half with that same pacing.
Track 6 "Smooth Talk" is a genuine swoon record for the ladies. When men hear this record they should feel "suave and debonair", and when women hear this they should feel lyrically catered to. Here White Noize praises the divine feminine while setting himself apart as the obvious masculine choice to win her affections. Noize gets creative with his descriptions of her appearance, attitude, and affect this dream woman has. "Smooth Talk" is a fun bump especially for the women.
Seeing White Noize in person perform "Bounce" at Lyrics and Libations in Chicago was an absolute riot, he goes crazy on this track. Without giving too much away White Noize flows over a west coast club beat and this record makes you want to shake it, much like his previous clup bopper entry with "Next Up"; Bounce is right up there with the hit maker vibes.
Noize gets particularly and purposefully abrasive on the joint, "Speak On It". The reasoning was to make a statement reflecting certain opinions, as well as a shock to hook people in, I think when performed live it worked brilliantly. "So many bitches getting paid to be pretty, I aint made a dime being real being gritty, got me feeling shitty, these plastic bitches much have diamonds, and the fake titties, so many scammers preying on the carcass of a starving artist" This just gives an example of some of the points he expounds on viscerally in "Speak On It", track 8.
"So Chill" feels like a track for the stoners, the vibes are laid back and the instrumental reminds me of something from Kush & OJ. "Feeling like the man, cold drink in my hand, or I'm on a beach with my toes in the sand, I can make a crowd stand, aint life grand? damn." This record offers a nice switch up from the rest of the tracks on Hunger and Dedication as this one is the most relaxing.
"Everything ft. Jamari Mikell" was a blast to witness in real time being performed at Lyrics and Libations just weeks ago for the Hunger n Dedication series. White Noize and Jamari Mikell exchanging verses over a Jamari Mikell production was exhilarating to say the least. Huge gratitude to Jamari Mikell in all the work he's put in to helping carve out the signature White Noize sound. The most epic of the entries, "Everything" will you having you replaying the project immediately.
"Up From Here" has this nostalgic chip on your shoulder feeling, the melody of the beat will have you reminiscing while soaking up the dope lyrics from White Noize. "Used to call me sped, now I'm out here turning heads, won't forget a fucking word that they said, tear em all to pieces and turn em into shreds". Noize might forgive but he won't let the past slide as he climbs his way towards his goals and dreams. "I'll walk straight to Brooklyn if it means I earn respect", another dope line because that's quite extreme and who would actually do that? Only someone as crazy as White Noize to follow their passions. So respect is given where its due, and its due after spinning Hunger and Dedication.
White Noize ties everything together in "Hopeful", "Used to ask me if I rap, I would lie about it, now I speak with pride about it!" A bar that should resonate with all rappers and really all artists or creatives of any kind. Taking that leap to create your vision will be tried and tarnished by many; and White Noize says to hell with all that. Hunger and Dedication has a lot to offer any fan of hip hop music. It will also serve anyone who's ever felt outcasted, counted out, or lambasted in their hero's journey, you're not alone, spin this record, you'll remember why you started.
"Fuck a fucking hater man!" ~White Noize~
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