There’s an army of songwriters who, as you read this, are all stuck inside of an office owned by some record label and forced to crank out material based on the latest trends. They analyse stats and write tunes accordingly. They operate in any musical style and are required to show up on time and leave when the whistle blows. And, worst of all, they routinely get harassed by threats that their jobs will get taken away by AI.
But what do they have to write about? What’s the truth that they are trying to capture, and why should people care about songs that are merely meant to act as a distraction from life’s tribulations and lessons? Not much, and, sadly, that’s the modern story of the music world and one that is reflected in all aspects of life.
Are you looking for an alternative? Are you hoping for something more? Leedz Edutainment tries to deliver just that with the newest album “Hard to Learn,” a retro hip-hop-sounding concept record centred around the brutal lessons that life serves to us until we are ready to learn.
Yes, these are a series of lessons, but the album is hardly preachy. Just listen to the title track, one that echoes 90s-style East Coast Hip Hop. On “Hard to Learn”, with help from Torae, Skyzoo, Reks, & DJ Slipwax, we’re reminded of the simple truth that all things that truly matter happen slowly and that only those willing to take their losses and learn from them get to move forward.
“Walk Among What Remains” integrates elements of modern rock and allows Ill Bill, Q-Unique, Wildcard, & Rite Hook to deliver a clear look at what happens to those who end up being led by their hatred and fears.
Leedz Edutainment’s greatest gift is the ability to steer the creative direction of the record and pair up talented individuals with the right sounds. And, indeed, this 24-song record offers plenty of musical variety.
“Downbound Train,” a song about falling in hard times, echoes some of the rootsy balladeering that’s dominated pop charts in recent years. “Animal” takes on board more modern rap sounds and dynamics. “Learn to Suffer,” with its memorable piano riff and raps about being forced to struggle when others rejoice, will remind listeners of the conscious rappers of the early 1990s.
And, perhaps most surprisingly, “Those Damned Blue Collar Tweekers” is the funk-rap hybrid and Primus cover that the world wasn’t expecting to receive but, certainly, needed.
Where does it all leave us? Suffering, but hopeful. If anything, “Hard to Learn” manages to do more than just provide advice for a better future. It should remind listeners that whatever their struggles are, there are more like them going through similar experiences. This is what this album does best.
Social media links
