Canadian hip-hop recording artist Morris Ogbowu recently released an EP titled This That Mo. Seeing that I was already familiar with his previous work, as well as him as an artist, I was excited to delve into his latest release and see what this offering would bring.
It seems that now, more than ever, Mo wants to introduce himself to the world as a fully formed artist. This project seeks to let people know once and for all that he’s a worthy contender and ready to compete in this game called Hip-Hop. The album’s flow is impeccable, both sonically and thematically. I was impressed by the enormous amount of talent in this young man and what a thoroughly enjoyable and well-constructed album he delivered.
The theme, the production, the lyricism, the energy, the vibe- everything that was conveyed on this album was on point. The dark and animalistic vibes gave the sense of an animal (Morris Ogbowu) ready to pounce on his prey (non-believers in his talent). Check out my track-by-track review below.
1. Incoming: A short, 12-second intro, with a fitting name.
2. Light Years Away (feat. Eli): Light Years Away has an intense and dark feel, and hypnotic production which sets the tone and mood for the album. It’s animalistic in feel and delivery. Solitude is a major subject expressed and it’s complete with poignant lyrics. Progresses in to a banging outro.
3. Ego: Superb flow. The thematic continues. It has an outdoor vibe; the feeling of being in a jungle. Very dope song. It has serious lyrical content. It’s boastful with an aggressive delivery. Again very dark, eerie sounding, trap-like production. A standout track.
4. Shame: From the beginning Shame gives you a different feel than the first two tracks. It’s definitely more fun and less dark production wise than the previous tracks and is overall lighter than the rest of the album. Fun to vibe with and head-bop to. It has a catchy chorus and is a very lyrical yet “trippy-trap” performance. Another standout.
5. Know Me Better: We seem to be back on to a somber tone. The earnest plea of a frustrated artist claiming and protesting that you should know him better by now. His flow and lyrics are so good! Honest performance.
6. Only You: This track has a personal, intimate feel. It has a sadder feel than the rest of the album with a slow tempo and piano. It’s a real love song; true emotion is conveyed. It’s as close to sappy as you’re going to get on this album. It’s smooth, reminiscent of Kendrick’s Love.
7. Vision (ft. Keynes Woods): One of the more rap heavy songs. He uses really unique ways to colour the song, switching flows and accents. It adds to the dynamic of the song, however, not one of my favorites. Still, that unbelievable flow though. It would be a standout if the hook didn’t fall so short.
8. Mood: Grand finale. Feels like the outro; a wrap-up to the sonic journey we’ve been on. It feels like he left it all on this track. If you didn’t know, now you know. That boy ain’t playing on the mic. The production is laid back, making way for the main attraction, Morris Ogbowu.
This That Mo gets a GOLD review.
By Nicky Jean
Nicky Jean is an Ottawa-based poet, singer and rapper. She is also a radio host at CHUO 89.1FM and the co-host of the Breakdown 2 Lowdown podcast.