Each year in the music scene we witness the rise of new stars and the return of veteran masters. Nevertheless this year has been a special one for the hip hop scene, with a series of especially surprising and welcome comebacks. Rap stars of the 2010s Big Sean and Lil Uzi Vert returned with new albums, and “rapper dei rappers” Nas and the group Public Enemy showed that they’re still on top of their games with new releases. But there was one comeback that stood out among them all: rapper and producer Jay Electornica.

It might be a name unfamiliar to the general public. In the hip hop world, however, he’s already a luminary. More precisely, he was famous even without an album to his name. After debuting with his first mixtape released on Myspace in 2007, he became a force to be reckoned with among artists, fans and the entire music scene. But repeated delays kept everyone waiting eagerly for a debut album that failed to materialize. While the world waited, Electronica focused less on music and more on seeking truth as a follower of Islam. His brief appearances were limited to features in other artists’ works. His finely-honed rap continued to slash into the ears of admirers, but an album from the master increasingly began to seem like a distant prospect.

But no longer. Jay Electronica, back 13 years after debut with his first studio album! And with a vengeance--”A Written Testimony” is excellent enough to assuage not just his fans exhausted from the long wait but those who had, albeit briefly, forgotten about his existence. Two things to note to really dive deep into his new album:

First, the rhyme and the message. Electronia’s rap skills are second to none. But what makes his rap performance shine even brighter are his standout lyrics. Building on a worldview shaped by the beilefs of the Nation of Islam, Electronica sometimes metaphorically and other times relentlessly tells stroies of both introspection and social issues. No need to restrict yourself with preconceived notions, though; his music is not religious. His issues transcend religion to include the entire world, making his music that much more impressive. For example, he voices his criticism of systematic racism in “Ghost of Soulja Slim”.

Second, Jay-Z’s unflagging support. The hip hop mogul has long supported Electronica. An extraordinary rapper in addition to being a business executive, Jay-Z is stunningly featured in over half of the songs on the album. It would not be an exaggeration to say he is another star of this album. His rap in “Flux Capacitor” is an especially triumphant return of Jay-Z from Big Daddy Kane’s 1994 “Show & Prove”, the posse cut that propelled him to the hip hop world’s attention.

“A Written Testimony” was nominated for “Best Rap Album” in the 2021 Grammy Awards. The master has returned and the music world has taken notice.

TRIVIA

The first mixtape that took the hip hop world by storm
“Act I: Eternal Sunshine (The Pledge), Jay Electronica’s first mixtape that he uploaded on Myspace in 2007 had over 50,000 downloads, an extremely high number for an unknown rapper. The music industry caught on to this wild reception, and the following year Electronica was invited to Rock the Bells, the world’s largest hip hop festival.