JPEGMAFIA reimagines the sound of hip hop on All “my Heroes are Cornballs”
Known for his unconventional take on rap, JPEG’s 2019 album shows his resistance to adapt and instead, carves out a lane specifically for himself.
Disregard any preconceived notions you’ve had of a rap album because JPEGMAFIA did with All My Heroes Are Cornballs. Positioning himself in the center of the changing societal landscape, he laughs in the face of expectations as he opts for a non-traditional output. He uses non-conventional song structures to exclaim (figuratively and literally) his point that rap music shouldn’t be pigeon-held to one sound which is blatantly conveyed on the first track, “Jesus Forgive me, I am a Thot”.
Rage and glee combine to create this unusual sonically appeasing soundscape that makes you question where it fits into the genre of hip hop, but just as the theme of the album suggests, it lies in fluidity. As rap is becoming more known for its melodic and free flowing structure, his blueprint is set in the fact that the genre has no boundaries and it’s up to the artist to provide a cohesive offering. However, that’s the toughest part and he acknowledges the difficulty on Kenan Vs Kel as he says, “How we going to make this bullshit work, how can I make a good beat, I get nervous when asked for features.”
This lofi, soothing, down tempo beat to the first half of the song is offset by the brash sirens and anger with which he delivers his bars on the second half of the song. The beat switch doesn’t feel unnatural though due to his seamless mixing prowess as the sound changes drastically. I suppose that’s where the strength of the album lies, in the fact that JPEGMAFIA is comfortable in all sorts of different sonic landscapes like “Grimy Waifu”.
This standout track has him flowing through an acoustic-based, synth laden instrumental, accompanied by the sounds of a light but impactful flute. Its elegance is a testament to his versatility as he experiments with different sounds and melodies throughout the album. The unsuspecting “BasicBitchTearGas” has JPEG covering the classic “Scrubs” by TLC but in a very stripped down, distorted version that is more reminiscent of a punk rock song than rap or even pop.
Rap is moving into new territories because artists like JPEGMAFIA who continue to push the envelope. He’s unafraid to redefine what the genre is with All My Heroes Are Cornballs being the prime example of that. His question of, “How can I make a good beat?” almost sounds like a rhetorical question just to flex, but it is a stark reality that artists face; do they continue with the same formula or try something different? Well I think JPEGMAFIA has the right idea.