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gio dug deep to open up about mistakes and trauma, but still maintains a positive outlook and hope. His tone and straight to the point delivery made me feel his desire to make it as a rapper. If you like Saba, Mick Jenkins or Isaiah Rashad, you’ll enjoy this EP.
845 Freestyle: Gio wastes no time showing listeners he can spit. From the jump he assures us that his pen and vision are refined and focused. He flexes on the haters and embraces his underdog status.
08 Impreza: He flips between his natural voice and auto-tune vocals telling us the shit he’s overcome, both first hand and from his surroundings. The past has changed him, and left him traumatized, but it’s also shown him his own strength. In a chilling outro, he says, “If I lose my will, Lord take me now.”
Cell Block ft/ Vega Ramon: More reflective and mellow than the first two tracks, he thinks about his mistakes that got him in trouble. He admits the wrong in the decisions and how bad he feels for causing his loved ones pain, but insists that his intentions were pure.
New Strangers ft/ Chris Patrick: Fellow emerging, artist Chris Patrick joins gio for verses reminiscing on past loves. They point out changes in behavior & noticing the romance fading out. At times, they seem upset & remorseful about the issues, but ultimately okay that the relationship ended.
Better Days: gio closes the project out with a track looking back at his personal growth and telling us about his uncertainty about the future. Although he’s internally battling whether or not he can make it in music & life, he spits with a passion & vision that makes me believe that his better days are coming.
Standouts: 845 Freestyle, New Strangers | Score: 7.5/10
