A Written Testimony

by Jay Electronica

Overview

The term "long-awaited" gets thrown around freely when it comes to highly anticipated albums. In the case of rapper Jay Electronica, the concept of a long-awaited debut album was pushed to its outer limits, as he first emerged in the mid-2000s and watched his legacy grow substantially while only releasing a scant few tracks, guest appearances, and mixtape-level projects over a period that stretched for more than a decade. A Written Testimony comes bearing the weight of heightened expectations and delivers a modern classic, a new step forward in the evolution of hip-hop. Perhaps the first factor in the album's excellence are the uncredited contributions from rap icon Jay-Z on nine of the ten tracks. There's a star-studded list of other contributors -- Travis Scott sings an auto-tuned hook on "The Blinding," the-Dream shows up on two songs -- but the record is defined by the dynamic chemistry that bubbles up in the back-and-forth between Hova and Jay Electronica's winding flows. After growing up in New Orleans, Electronica moved around the States, absorbing the cultures and communal energies of Baltimore, Detroit, New York, and other spots and accepting the teachings of Elijah Muhammad along the way. A Written Testimony takes from the various phases of this journey, with the title of "Ghost of Soulja Slim" referencing the deceased New Orleans No Limit Records rapper, the spacious instrumentals recalling the minimal genius of Detroit producer J Dilla, and Nation of Islam ideology ornamenting every track. Big-name producers like Hit-Boy, No I.D., and AraabMuzik appear on some tracks, but by and large the beats are made by Electronica himself. The inventive drum-free jazz loop and crowd noises that make up the beat of "Shiny Suit Theory" make for a perfectly open backdrop for detailed performances, almost as if bass and drums would obscure the delivery. The atmospheric, meandering "Ezekiel's Wheel" is mostly vocals, cloudy samples, and a motorik clicking sound for close to seven minutes, but every moment feels intentional and controlled. The entire album flows with this same deliberate construction. Electronica allegedly scrapped all the studio work he'd been laboring on for years and made A Written Testimony in 40 days and 40 nights during a period of mystical inspiration. This can be heard in the balance between masterful architecture and spontaneous creation that the album hangs suspended in. There are moments throughout that recall Wu-Tang's rawness, the Notorious B.I.G.'s cool, collected confidence, the abstract thinking of early Clipse, or Dilla's spark of intuition and innovation. The rare achievement that makes the album work so well is that instead of attempting to re-create the heights of past master works, it pushes into new terrain. Jay-Z and Jay Electronica sound energized by each other, giving powerful performances at every turn. Bold production choices gel with this collaborative energy for an album that's inspired, driven, and sounds moved by the hand of unseen powers. ~ Fred Thomas

Product Details

Release Date:	12/18/2020
Label:	Roc Nation
UPC:	0810045110943

Tracks

1. The Overwhelming Event
2. Ghost of Soulja Slim
3. The Blinding
4. The Neverending Story
5. Shiny Suit Theory
6. Universal Soldier
7. Flux Capacitor
8. Fruits of the Spirit
9. Ezekiel¿¿¿s Wheel
10. A.P.I.D.T.A.

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Jay Electronica   Primary Artist
The-Dream   Primary Artist,Vocals
Travis Scott   Primary Artist,Vocals
Jeymes Samuel   Vocals
Louis Farrakhan   Vocals
Steve Wyreman   Bass,Guitar,Keyboards
James Fauntleroy   Vocals
Larrance Dopson   Keyboards
James Blake   Vocals
Terius Nash   Vocals
Khirye Tyler   Organ,Guitar,Keyboards
Chris Payton   Bass,Guitar
Minister Louis Farrakhan   Vocals
Law Parker   Vocals
Emory Jones   Vocals
Ross Abrahams   Keyboards

Technical Credits

Tony Dawsey   Mastering Engineer
Swizz Beatz   Producer
Kenny Gamble   Composer
Barbara Mason   Composer
Lawrence Parker   Composer
John Williams   Composer
Robert Fripp   Composer
Jerry Butler   Composer
Louis Farrakhan   Composer
Tyrone Cosey   Composer
Kasseem Dean   Composer
Brian Eno   Composer
Jaycen Joshua   Mixing
Leon Huff   Composer
Litto Nebbia   Composer
Allen Toussaint   Composer
The Alchemist   Producer
James Fauntleroy   Composer
Larrance Dopson   Composer
Bonnie Flower   Composer
Wendy Flower   Composer
Rodney G. Massey   Composer
Shawn Carter   Composer
Jay Electronica   Producer
Eric Demarsan   Composer
Michael Chavarria   Engineer,Recording
Hit-Boy   Producer
Craig Lawson   Composer
Dion Wilson   Composer
Gimel "Young Guru" Keaton   Mixing,Engineer,Recording
James Blake   Composer
Zach Steele   Engineer,Recording
AraabMuzik   Producer
Terius Nash   Composer
Abraham Orellana   Composer
No I.D.   Producer
Chauncey Hollis   Composer
Khirye Tyler   Composer
Robyn Fenty   Composer
Jennifer Vashti Bunyan   Composer
Mark Speer   Composer
Jacques Webster   Composer
Chris Payton   Composer
Khruangbin   Producer
Alan Maman   Composer
Badriia Bourelly   Composer
James Tapp   Composer
Jahron Brathwaite   Composer
Law Parker   Composer,Assistant,Assistant Engineer
Elpadaro F. Electronica Allah   Composer
G. Ry   Producer
Jacob Richards   Assistant,Mixing Assistant
Mike Seaberg   Assistant,Mixing Assistant
D’Artanian Stovall   Composer
Dylan Del-Olmo   Engineer,Recording
Elton Newman   Composer
Laura Manders   Composer
Mirtha Defilpo   Composer
Felix Nebbia   Composer
Jean-Claude Beyer   Composer