Review | Kirk White, ‘Eli’

God First Crew’s newest member Kirk White has dropped his debut EP, ‘Eli’.

After hearing Kirk White’s submission for FiveTwenty’s first #BarsChallenge, along with his appearance on fellow GFC emcee Trutha‘s “Locked In”, my anticipation skyrocketed for this project.

‘Eli’ is a six-track EP that showcases White’s promise. He is beginning with a strong foundation to build on that should have him standing out within CHH sooner rather than later.

Tracks

Wake Up ft. Trutha – The lead single from the EP features God First Crew member Trutha. “Wake Up” displays the same lyrical ability that caught my attention during the bars challenge. A simple beat provides a foundation for White’s carefully crafted bars. “Legit, but now I’m moving on to better things/ worshiping the King a good vision for my son to see”

Whatchu Mean – “I know Jesus thinks I hate him, I don’t/ but looking at my life you’d probably never know, took everything as a joke/ I could never clear the smoke/ but I’d rather be blessed than fake woke” The hook may leave plenty to be desired, but man did White go in on these verses. The honesty is to a point where, as a listener, I even found myself uncomfortable. This is not a bad thing! People talk about being transparent, I feel like that is exactly what you get on this track. Don’t ask for it if you can’t handle it. “Whatchu Mean” is certainly in the running for my favorite track on the project.

Carry On – This one jumps right into it, no need for an intro. One thing I have noticed through these first three songs is the way that the production is different, yet similar. It is almost like one of those movie scores where you know that it is telling a story. “Praise the Lord, I took the mic and spit my life over these rap beats/ close my eyes begging God that I don’t reach my peak/ my will was weak so I took a knee/ talked to God and now I’m watching all of my demons flee” It is amazing to see how much potential Kirk White has. No matter if you are in the camp of wishing CHH artists would clearly talk about God more or if you are looking for tracks to vibe to, this is an emcee that can offer both.

Zay Interlude – This interlude definitely has a different feel from the rest of the project at this point. While I love the verse from White, the “hook” kind of kills the overall feel for me. I cannot quite put my finger on what it is exactly about it, but it feels a little too forced to me.

Scream ft. Anomaly Music – White gives us some double-timed bars here, which he delivers pretty well. I appreciate that he limits its usage which adds to its impact. Even though the song only has two artists featured, White and Anomaly Music, this track feels almost cypher-esque. The production is driven by hitting 808s and keys with a hook that does a good job of transitioning between the verses. “Trying to tap into my better self/ send it up to God if I need some help/ cause everything ain’t always what it seems/ if you see the devil better, scream”

This Is For You – The melodic piano draws you in from the start. It is clear that White feels comfortable spitting over keys. We get a glimpse into his life, which includes an autistic child, and how he came to give that life over to God. The spoken word style breakdown has its moments but could have been done a bit better. Overall it is a fitting finale to ‘Eli’.

Favorite Tracks

1. Whatchu Mean
2. Carry On
3. Wake Up

I’m excited to see how Kirk White and God First Crew develop. As of right now, he is likely to appear on my personal Artists to Watch list. ‘Eli’ is a strong introduction with a promise of growth that is waiting to happen. If you have not heard this EP you need to, it is one of the best to hit the indie CHH scene so far in 2019.