Some musicians require nothing but pure talent to play music. Others need years of work and practice before they even compose their first song.
Philadelphia rapper Tunji Ige contains the best of both scenarios. On his newly released EP Missed Calls, the up-and-coming emcee creates a varied, blended sound using his raw, natural talent and beat-making skills acquired from years of crafting music.
Tunji Ige a DIY Musician
Tunji Ige began making music at the ripe age of 14 using nothing but a laptop, a sampler, and his parents’ record collection. Throughout his high school years, he continued to develop his style and hone his talent while planning his future goals.
It all came to fruition when he released his self-produced debut mixtape The Love Project in 2014. The project was well-received by fans and made him an established presence in the alternative hip-hop scene. Now, out of college and pursuing music full-time, the 20-year-old rapper is ready to advance a step further with his latest project, Missed Calls.
The track “On My Grind” focuses on Tunji Ige’s persistence on maintaining his presence in the music scene. The most captivating aspect of this song is the beats. They come from two distinct genres: electronica and hip-hop. However, they fuse together nicely to form a vibrant, pulsating rhythm.
Meanwhile, Tunji Ige displays a taste of his natural rapping talent. He presents the lyrics with such a smooth, steady flow that doesn’t feel forced or rushed in any way. His seemingly effortless vocal delivery showcases his innate abilities. Yet, with this song, he shows that he’s not afraid to put the work in to achieve success.
In “War,” the beats are more characteristic of those found in electronica music. They serve to create a brooding, pensive mood. Tunji also adds guitar loops and chirping sounds from a cell phone. When mixed with these attributes, the song displays a contemplative tone. Overall, it sounds more like an R&B song, which shows the artist’s mastery at crossing genre borders.
In contrast, the track “Bring Yo Friends” possesses a pleasant mood and a chill, laidback tone. The main message here is that he just wants to relax, kick back, and celebrate his current success.
He makes this known with concise lyrics such as “Sipping on a little until I’m feeling right/If you ain’t having fun, you ain’t living life.” Besides, what’s the point of being young if you can’t have a little fun?
“Fired Up”, without a doubt, is the liveliest track. Synthesizer sounds enter the song first and remain prevalent throughout it. The backbeats soon appear in the form of drumbeats and cymbal taps.
Tunji Ige’s vocals sprinkle a bold confidence over this song, and his lyrics are even bolder. Rhymes such as “It’s the post-backpack, the post-swag rap, the end of trap, and it’s not wack” reveal that he wants to shatter the confining boundaries of current mainstream rap. In doing so, he plans to offer an alternative sound for future listeners to gravitate towards.
Missed Calls is a proclamation from an energetic, aspiring artist who’s ready to make an impact and leave a lasting impression in the music scene.