Label: [NOSPACES]
Released: August 2021
Photo Credit: Olivia Jankowska
Jaydonclover and dylantheinfamous continue their string of moody releases with ‘Whataboutnow’. Jaydon’s chorus opens the track whilst within lie verses from Elijah Bank$y, Franklin Armstrong, Monét, BXKS and finally Jaydonclover herself.
The reason this star-crossed partnership between Jaydonclover and dylantheinfamous is so successful is that he samples the type of Jazz that makes singers have to really deliver emotion - with challenging and heartbreaking chord changes being the norm. These sophisticated accompaniments when presented in a modern context perfectly showcase Jaydon’s depth as an artist and singer, allowing her to stretch melodically.
“You thought it was funny then,
Well what about, now? You thought I would worry then,
but what about, now? I see my pockets getting fatter
and my figures getting swole,
But I don’t...know...that shit gets old…”
Each of the four features offer a unique perspective. Elijah Bank$y exhibits superb versatility with a sung/spoken play on Jaydon’s hook within an emotional tale of hurt, resentment and revenge. The scene plays out beautifully in this scorned verse about being underestimated and dis-respected. "But I see you out for clout,
Caught you red handed,
I guess these feeling lost in transit,
I thought we set the standard,
You just upped the vantage,
Now you see I got the brand and talkin' second chances,
Like if you knew I wasn’t ready for it,
Then whataboutnow?
If I tell you that I’m ready for it,
Then whaboutnow?”
Fellow Birmingham artist Franklin Armstrong takes us on a stumbling anxious journey through his identity and emotional education. His heart hurts for the endless cycle of wounded men raising wounded boys on wounded ground. This masculine vocal delivers this medicinal mantra -
“Coz the boys raise the boys,
So the boys’ll be boys,
Trying to break the motion, around and round,
Only doing better if i’m showin’ em how"
The bittersweet and melodic Monét speaks of loneliness within a chaotic crowd. Her tone is simply beautiful here as she poetically sways between gratitude, faith & growth within a slow ascension from a fearful past. Her final 4 bars are sung, and they draw the heart out.
“But still I rise,
Maya Angelou was right,
people always want to get you down when you on the rise,
No surprise,
Man was in the gutter for a, very long time,
Had to pull myself out the trenches like I’m 6’5”
'Whataboutnow' with its extended length and furrowed brow is in truth akin to a short play, about the lives and responsibilities of artists who are overlooked, used and in the case of many, destroyed or forgotten. Final feature BXKS and Jaydon herself are no exception and everything about ‘Whataboutnow’ is a clear statement of confidence from the hard working contributing artists - who are finally beginning to reap what they’ve sown.
“I been thinking about then and i’ve been thinking bout now,
Trying to see if I can work this shit up from the ground,
I’m a happy motherfucker but I walk with a frown,
Always handing me my flowers so I walk with a crown.
I know you didn’t want me then, but, whataboutnow?”