Barrington DeVaughn Hendricks, better known by his pseudonym JPEGMAFIA is an American rapper and producer based in Baltimore, Maryland who has released a new album, Veteran.
Veteran is a frenetic rap album that somehow ties everything together in such a cohesive manner it is astonishing. This album is through and through an amalgamation of internet sounds and samples slapped together in what I can only deem an internet rap opera.
JPEGMAFIA has managed to create a project that is a glorified Death Grips album sans genitalia but all the more accessible. Veteran is one of the first hip-hop albums that is equal parts catchy as hell and also delivers a truly manic digital, internet-ish, darkweb vibe.
'1539 N. Calvert' the opening track to the album is soothing and raucous all in the same two minutes and thirty-seven seconds. The synth pad is the definition of wavy with its watery drip between notes accented by pickup line every fourth bar. JPEGMAFIA keeps the energy going with 'Baby I'm Bleeding' which employs a vocal sample as the main synth repeating incessantly until the beat drops like it does, 'in Brownsville" as Peggy asks himself, "where you been at?" Now don't stop here that's track 5 of 19.
JPEG shows us that he has more going on than just a digital vocal onslaught of rhymes and edits with the raindrop and minor key dissident piano on 'Panic Emoji' the drawl-ridden and syrupy ode to, "keep hustling and keep moving."
You NEED to check this album if you are a fan of the new internet age of SoundCloud rappers but really want a break from the mindless dribble being spewed by the less talented. "Veteran" is an opus of anarchy for the people of the internet and meme culture who want Hip-Hop that is erratic and topical.
Tracklist below:
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1.
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1539 N. Calvert 02:37
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2.
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Real Nega 02:30
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3.
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Thug Tears 03:18
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4.
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Dayum 01:25
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5.
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Baby I'm Bleeding 02:32
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7.
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Rock N Roll Is Dead 03:08
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9.
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Germs 02:41
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10.
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11.
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? 03:00
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12.
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13.
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Whole Foods 02:04
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14.
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Macaulay Culkin 01:57
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15.
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Williamsburg 03:32
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17.
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18.
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1488 (Album Version) 02:28
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19.
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Curb Stomp 02:15
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If you like getting lost on the internet and coming out different and have thought to yourself, "Man I would love to see that live" well JPEGMAFIA is in fact on tour! Dates below:
Tour Dates:
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May 01Vancouver, BC
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May 02Seattle, WA
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May 04San Francisco, CA
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Jul 21Los Angeles, CA
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Aug 25Brooklyn, NY
Connect with JPEGMAFIA: Twitter | Soundcloud | YouTube | Bandcamp
