DISCLAIMER: All thoughts, opinions, interpretations and suggestions are of my own. I do not represent Joe Flizzow, Kartel Records, Sony Music or any other related parties. This review is written for THE FEAR and is of no significance to any sort of argument that may or may not ensue. I deliver this with utmost honesty and sincerity. Baek.
I hadn't listened to Joe Flizzow in a VERY long time before September 2013.
The last song I ever jammed to was Alhamdulillah (although it's not a song most would "jam" to), and that was by Too Phat.
I didn't know what to expect from Joe Flizzow at MTV World Stage Live In Malaysia 2013, and that very lack of expectation became the starting point to a whole new experience of local music.
The time was approximately 7PM, and we were already showered with hints of rain that poured on Sunway Lagoon's Surf Beach.
I remember that night to be my mother's birthday and cursed MTV for holding the concert on a Sunday night.
Absurd.
Loud music started to play and a phalanx of dancers started to enter the stage.
And there it was: Iller Iller.
It was a spectacular opening to the night, and my body was ready to receive more.
Next was Untukmu with Ila Damiaa, then All Around My World.
Joe Flizzow's set ended with HAVOC with SonaOne and Altimet
I have never heard of these songs before, but the beats were sick and the lyrics were deep (as far as I could understand them at the time).
Little did I know that three of those songs would appear on the album, which would become one of my favorite albums of all time.
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HAVOC by Joe Flizzow, released on December 7th 2013. |
Tracklist:
- Ucapan Terakhir Presiden (feat. Amy Search & Yasin)
- Iller Iller
- Havoc (feat. SonaOne & Altimet)
- Untukmu (feat. Ila Damia)
- Baek
- Satu Kali
- Lu Lari (feat. Adeep Nahar)
- Kongsi
- Aku Tak Kenalmu (feat. Zamaera)
- Apa Khabar (feat. SonaOne)
- Air Mata (feat. Ash)
- Katakan (feat. Rossa)
- Apa Benar
- Takbir Cinta (feat. Yasin & Amy Search)
Right off the bat, you get a tingling sense of epic with Joe's speech with the first song Ucapan Terakhir Presiden.
You should be aware that this album is in full (or mostly) Bahasa Melayu and I'm proud that Joe Flizzow did a superb job in making it sound very international.
The song is an excerpt from a speech by the late Dato' Onn Jaafar; an uplifting speech of olden days where the nation needed an injection of hope and clarity.
After many experiences and observations, the way his homeland has become a place of oppression worries him.
Even in his state of authority, he finds himself restricted by rules and regulations, by law and by norm.
Hence, as the President, he urges the nation to rise and fight back with honor, just as their ancestors had.
Joe Flizzow uses this speech to reflect on his situation in the present.
In my mind, I picture an artist torn between truth and realism.
To confess and convey such a harsh truth would be both destructive to his career and life's work but to keep the truth would be to lie to everyone else.
"Malang mulut saya tertutup,
Tidak dapat menzahirkan kepada kamu apa yang diketahui oleh saya,
Dalam masa menyempurnakan pekerjaan-pekerjaan dan tanggungan saya itu,"
In everything that he has seen and felt throughout his career, there is an increasing concern for the sake of his homeland.
And so in an attempt to save his beloved country, he asks for the people to come together and rise; to open their eyes and realize that something is indeed wrong and something should be done.
Only in unity could the people make a difference, and only when a difference is made could the people live as how their ancestors would have wanted.
Next song is Iller Iller.
For whenever I want an infusion of adrenaline, this is my go to song.
The song touches on how the persona is always above and undoubtedly better than any who oppose.
Everything he does is successful on a big scale, with grand celebrations and freedom of action.
For all his work, he writes and rewrites history, making him an enemy in the eyes of those who envy him.
And with every speckle of hate thrown at him; lies and all, he brings them down with truth and revelation.
Although all this is said with a handful arrogance, the persona knows his place.
"Imaginasiku tiada batas,
tapi itu bukan sebab untuk buat tuntutan tidak berasas.
Cari musuh itu mencari nahas,
jadi jangan main api kalau tidak mahu terbakar atau panas."
In dealing with opposition, the persona reminds his listeners that it is imperative that they know who they are up against.
This song is one of many songs on this album that deals with talking about handling negative comments and hate from antis and non-believers (at least, that's how I see it).
As such, from having so much experience, Joe tells us that we are allowed to be better and be the best, but we must also know how to pick our fights; to not bite off more than we can chew.
For what it's worth, going into battle with blind fury will only cause embarrassment and a whole lot of cleaning up to do.
For everything you can do, others can do better.
So what you can do is to use your brains and not just brawns.
HAVOC is a very sentimental song to me.
No, it isn't a sad ballad with sappy lyrics but because it holds one of the greatest memory triggers in my mind.
At MTV World Stage, Joe Flizzow, SonaOne and Altimet performed this song for the very first time.
They debuted the song with such energy, devotion and conviction, the overall feel of the song caused a massive chaos in the crowd (in a good way).
This song is the most real song I've listened to in a long time.
Joe starts the song off by paying homage to his roots, SS15 of Subang Jaya, the very birthplace of Too Phat.
The lyrics are just that, in that they speak of the current generation, pimping themselves to look fashionable and attractive.
Picking on people with sling bags and popped collars, the society judges people by how they dress and how they portray themselves.
By looking extra pimped, you get the girls with extra status; supposedly.
"Cuma nak pergi fifteen,
Still so fresh, so clean,
Memang nampak ballin' walaupun tengah miskin"
Altimet continues with the woes of a rapper, with him being the one to beat.
You can record as many songs in a night, but there's always that one dude who'll defiantly get his tracks played on the radio.
This, to the point where it seems criminal and unjust, is brought to the authorities.
Paying homage to his Kartel family, emphasizing that there isn't anyone that can separate them from the microphone.
This is to indicate that they are indeed serious in their work.
And when they meet up, in their success they will treat their competitors with grace and kindness, because it will ultimately kill them internally.
"Nanti kita jumpa senyum,
Tak boleh salam-salam,
Aku belanja keluar makan jadi korang makan dalam"
The last verse is coolly brought by SonaOne, implementing real-world comparisons and super fly rhymes.
From what I understand, the last verse just talks about the fast pace he goes by and that he's so awesome that he just leaves people behind.
Quite a lazy and direct interpretation of the whole thing, but I like that it's simple and stays in its essence.
"Liar macam puma,
Lari macam SUKMA,
Watch how we run it like Mahathir bukan Lokman"
As nonsensical as it might sound to most, if you did a little bit of digging, you'll see who's who and what's what and why his words fall into place in such a way.
At the end of the day, it is what it is, and it truly wreaks havoc.
The next song is Untukmu, which was also performed at MTVWS.
Ila Damiaa did exceptionally well on this track, her voice serenading listeners with constant reminders of for whom she does what she does.
I find the song as one of the lighter tracks on the album.
One of the messages conveyed is that with whatever it is that you do, always know who you're doing it for.
Life comes with complications, but when you do something like making music for the fans, then the hard work is its own reward.
Along the course to success, certain things like keeping it real and not wasting resources become important.
"Dan fokusku hingga ke garisan penamat,
Gua fikir panjang, perlahan kayuh tak penat,
Nak jadi jutawan jangan rugikan talian hayat,
Sentiasa bersedia berjaga sepanjang riwayat"
It is a great song and it's always fun to sing along.
Ila Damiaa's voice paired with Joe Flizzow's raps are great as they both complement each other.
I find most duets in other rap songs always imbalanced, especially when a female powerhouse is involved.
Joe & Ila are reminiscent to Eminem & Rihanna, which is a pair I really like.
The raps just flow and the vocals just slide in nicely and neatly.
Moving on to Baek, a song so good, even the title says it.
After hundreds of loops of the album (not exaggerating), I think it's true when I say that this song is the start of a few songs aimed at copycat rappers in the music industry currently and also a start to an audio illustration of gangsters and gang-bangers.
I personally love the vibe of the song, which is very grungy and very street.
I think that the message at the end defines the whole song, where Joe gives a shout out to imitators that want to be as good as him and his crew by simply copying his style.
Aside from its philosophy, the song is definitely one song you will find yourself memorizing even only after a few listens.
The flow of the lyrics are as smooth as bokeh and every hit of the beat makes you want to groove along.
"DJ kami baek
Graffiti artist baek
Breakers dan MCs kita semua budak baek"
Satu Kali picks up on Baek's message to new age rappers out there who seem to rap for the glory and not for the soul.
The song harshly criticizes their petty attempts at making music, busting rhymes for the sake of rhyming, making noise just for the attention.
Joe iterates the fact that due to their lack of vision, their small endeavours don't match up to his successes such as making history and being well-known to travel the world throughout his career.
"Fakta: ramai MC luar sana yang sampah,
Semua aku sapu
Fakta: lirik semua fiksyen semata-mata,
nak buat lagu"
In addition, as these new rappers were born into the scene where hip hop became an outlet for corporate gain, they were never exposed to the roots of hip hop such as not knowing who Tupac was and never listened to Wu Tang Clan.
This consequently leads to a critical situation in hip hop, where media play dictates who goes up and who gets hit.
Hence, Joe advises listeners to not let this take over the mindset of the public, to not be blinded by appearances and faux skills.
Rolling on with the theme of clans and gangsters in the hood, Lu Lari depicts the role of leader and follower.
In this day and age, one single call out and people start mobbing each other, as if violence is the only way of solution.
Of course, as the previous songs have solidly stated, Joe's gang is of the utmost power and position, so much so that even other gang's leaders ask for favors from Joe's smaller members.
"Kalau lu punya Abang Long pun mintak tolong dengan gua punya adik,
(incoherent rapping)
Lu masih sewa,
You know we bought it,
Lu duduk diam,
We rowdy rowdy"
When Joe says "you runnin'", he indicates that his enemies are running away from him but when he says "we runnin'", he indicates that he indefinitely runs the hood.
The last of the gangster/mob/organized crime themed songs, Kongsi is undoubtedly similar to giving your last advice to your underlings before carrying on with your own work and jobs.
The whole idea of an organization is that there must be a group of people organized to optimize efficiency.
Small business are nothing without proper planning and visionary objectives.
Respect elders and have a contingency plan for whatever happens.
Furthermore, ethics at the workplace are important and those who defy a certain set of rules must be brought to justice.
Caught in the act and humiliated, these people aren't fit for such a cooperative operation.
Even in the depths of misguided leadership, one must remember that ones life is not just for the present but also for hereafter.
"Tuhan berikan petanda supaya ku selamat di sana,
Dan selamat di sini,
Setiap usaha diberkati,
Budak tersusun rapi gerak cara koperasi,
Biar mereka jadi besar,
Kongsi kami gergasi"
Throughout the song, there is this beat that resembles the theme to the GTA game (most definitely GTA: San Andreas, since I've never played any other GTA).
This in turn sets the whole street/hood tone of the song, which concludes the gangster rap theme.
Although it can be directly translated into the image of hip hop, the songs about organization, ethics and advice are all applicable on every level of any institution.
In every sense, you must always know who's the best (Baek), who's the most experienced (Satu Kali), who runs the operation (Lu Lari) and how to work together in a team (Kongsi).
The depth of Joe Flizzow's raps up until here is mesmerizing, and to be able to understand the songs in such a way that it makes you better yourself is a blessing.
It just goes to show that an artist's idea transcends all boundaries, and seeps into life's daily routines even when all he says is "kongsi" (share).
Thanks for reading up till here.
I suggest you take a break and look away from your screen now.
Otherwise, here are some photos for your viewing pleasure:
Iller Iller at MTV World Stage Live In Malaysia 2013
Ila Damiaa passionately singing Untukmu at MTV World Stage Live In Malaysia 2013
"Kapal terbang terbang takde pilot 'cause I'm so fly"
We were truly lucky to have gotten this shot at this Havoc moment.
And now, back to the review.
The second half of this album deals with much more intimate and also serious current issues.
There is an apparent segregation of themes in the album, where the songs before were along the lines of life in the hood, on the street and so on.
From here on, you'll see a drastic change in theme and overall feel to the album, transporting you into a deeper side of Joe's personal thoughts and emotions.
If you listened to the first 8 songs, stopped, then listened to the next 6 songs, you would think that they were from different albums altogether.
Of all songs on the album, this next one is definitely my favorite.
Aku Tak Kenalmu is the most passive-aggressive in-your-face take-that-haters song and I'll be damned if it doesn't get the recognition and sharing it deserves.
The distraught persona of the song tackles the issues with backstabbers, anti-fans, posers and general public who only know how to judge without proper investigation.
The song is deep and takes a very spiritual approach, which some wouldn't expect from a musician that does concerts and shows.
Taking the high road, Joe Flizzow keeps in mind that meaningless taunts and comments are only the building blocks to success, and that God will always bless those who perform their prayers in sincerity.
Just because one does not display his religious responsibilities does not mean one abandons them.
I, personally, always think that those who do have the affinity to always showcase their piousness are in fact the ones who need a spiritual check.
"Biar orang ingat aku leka,
Mereka pun nak cerita,
Minta maaf ku tidak menaip zikirku dalam Twitter"
Minta maaf ku tidak menaip zikirku dalam Twitter"
In addition, Joe answers questions regarding the situation between Malique and him, and whether there would be a return of Too Phat.
Joe expresses his distress and that he is hopeless to always just defend Malique for strange reasons that people keep throwing at him.
He longs for a reunion, and I believe that there is no breakdown between them.
Ties and relationships are fragile, but bonds between brothers are covalent.
The song is concluded by Joe stating that his upbringing in the world has been that of spiritual guidance and copycat rappers are only of physical quality.
I cannot describe how much this song fits the world that we live in today.
Nowadays, it is deemed necessary to record and document every little thing we do.
"If we didn't check into Foursquare, were we really there?", "If it's not on Facebook, are they really in a relationship?", "If I didn't take a photo of my cat, am I even on the internet?".
Silly questions like these are the actual backbone of online entertainment and it has become seemingly impossible to determine the boundaries of privacy anymore.
Personal matters such as religion and political views become something thrown around so cheaply that even I become immune to almost any new ideal being shared or RT-ed.
In this day and age, ignorance is truly bliss.
At the end of the day, the question really is: "Do you know me?".
Apa Khabar takes the listener back to the days where Joe Flizzow and his friends were all together, striving to make a living in the industry where hip hop was still just seen as a street art, not viable for mainstream success.
The chorus tells us that after all those years, everyone's gone their separate paths and all that remains are memories of moments of togetherness.
It is about a longing to see loved ones after all the years they've been apart, and the formal "Apa Khabar? (How are you?)" is used to indicate a sense of distance between once close acquaintances.
"Show pertama luar KL di Pulau Pinang,
Lapan orang naik dua Kancil tapi semua senang,
Dua bilik, empat katil jadi empat di lantai,
Kalau tidak silap ada yang sampai tidur di pantai"
His life's story bundled into a song; a song of hope and a song of struggle.
With hard work and prayers, they finally make it in the industry, breaching international borders, booking shows in Singapore, Brunei and Indonesia.
Dreams become goals and goals become ambition, so dream and dream big.
There is a start to everything and it does not always begin at the same time as others.
The chorus in the end instills the fact that the persona still wants to meet with his fellow companions, and leaves a feeling of emptiness and wonderment.
The eleventh track on this album is Air Mata, depicting highlight moments in ones lifetime, whether it be sad or happy.
The song takes us from childbirth to the day the persona becomes an adult and realizes all his wrongs and regrets.
It is a very deep and emotional song, and has constantly shifted my mood entirely and abruptly.
The continuation of this song from the song before sets you up for the next songs later.
This sudden dive into the core of the listener's hearts let's us become more empathic and more attentive towards the message that is being conveyed.
"Bila umur belasan,
Banyak persoalan
Yang belum ada jawapan
Tapi itulah kehidupan"
The rhymes in this song (and all the other songs) are exquisite.
It is definitely a gift by God to be able to build sentences with such cohesion with a very visible storyline.
We are aware of changes in a lifetime, and so the familiarity to chronological order makes this song that much stronger.
Most events portrayed in the song have been experienced by the general public, hence giving a sense of attachment towards the persona.
We feel or have felt the same remorse, the same sadness and same regret.
And sometimes all we have to show for it is our tears.
Take a deep breath and sigh of relief, because the next song won't be as emotionally petrifying as the ones before and after it.
Katakan is a love song, through and through.
However, it isn't the sappy sort of song.
It's more of a celebration of true love, of perfection and of trust.
Rossa's voice is as sweet as the words of praise that exit Joe's mouth with every passing verse.
In his eyes, his lover is nothing less than an angel.
Joe describes his lady as somebody who even words cannot describe, whose beauty is that of fantasy, whose demeanour is that of a saint.
Every sentence is of great praise for his beloved and it's a very lovely song to listen.
If you didn't know it was a song and you only read the lyrics, I'm pretty sure you would have thought that it was a love letter.
And that is exactly what it is.
A very sincere, passionate and truthful love letter.
"Biar benar tiada perkataan,
yang bisa menggambarkan cantik dan rupawan,
Dia penuh berperanan,
Tidak buat perangai
Buat ramai berangan boleh memulakan peperangan"
A song to question life, challenging world leaders, criticizing the society and shining light on what's really happening in the world.
Apa Benar is a reality check to our society today, where corruption, jealousy and maliciousness pollute the society.
Anything beautiful can turn into a disaster, like Japan being hit by tsunami just two weeks after Joe's visit.
The lust for money drives people to maddening acts, stripping people of their homes and sabotaging others for their own gain.
The second verse of the song brings forward very serious yet sensitive questions.
Among them questions the very content of the vaccine we so indefinitely inject into our bodies, questions the necessity for a united continent (Africa and EU) and also asks whether cancer and AIDS will ever be cured.
The politics of progress is such a big influence in the movement of the world.
There can't be anything done without the consent of The Man, yet The Man himself hides behind his fancy shoes.
"Kita baca berita percaya apa tertulis
Apa benar bom di London perbuatan ekstremis?
Apa benar setiap Yahudi golongan Zionis?
Apa benar setiap orang Arab itu teroris?"
The very last questions cut deep into society's mentality, heavily influenced by the media and their hold on information.
Due to such questions not being answered, many people suffer the damage of misinformation.
There are children in countries that have never known happiness and people in other countries that have long forgotten about peace.
Every day, more people become rich, endowed with power and position, yet every day there is bloodshed and death.
Is it true that we are safe?
Is it true that what we are ordered to do is best for us?
Is it true that the truth is just not worth knowing, to only be hidden under lies upon lies?
The last song is most impactful and highlights the sorrow conveyed through the harmonizing of Yasin and Amy Search's voices.
Boldly titled Takbir Cinta, the song is a tribute to war victims, depicting how catastrophical it is to live in such harsh conditions, where innocent children suffer the wrath of oppressing world leaders.
"Takbir cinta sebelum ku lena,
Ku baca Al-Fatihah seperti pesanan mama,
Ku doakan anak-anak dunia semuanya selamat,
Tiada bunyi bedilan gamat kerana semuanya aman"
The song is a prayer, a call for help and a cry for change.
It is a prayer for things to end.
In Joe's rap, in Yasin and Amy Search's vocals, you can't help but feel sadness and sympathy.
In countries where people are being bombed and shot in the middle of the street, where food is scarce and the sickness goes without cure, all they can do is pray.
In God we trust but it is in ourselves that we must find the courage to stand up for them.
The fact that Joe Flizzow ends his album with such a selfless song goes to show how much of a humanitarian he is.
His spiritual upbringing reflects brightly in this production, where his thoughts and prayers go out to those in dire need of peace and tranquillity.
Our tears in our thoughts for these unfortunate souls are like rain, falling on bloodied soil, washing away calamity.
Every prayer we set aside for them gives them that much hope for a better tomorrow, for God is almighty and all-knowing, and God is most merciful.
In the end, as we think less of ourselves and more about them, it gives much more meaning to our prayers, and that much more power.
Joe has turned hip hop back into dealing with social issues and creating awareness.
Malaysia needs more artists like him; artists as in people who actually create art - art that stems from both music and language.
If you've only heard Havoc from the whole album, you are really missing out on a excellent production.
There is a lot more to the lyrics, melody and tone of the songs in this album.
I am only one person whose opinion may be affected from experiences that I had prior to listening to the album.
I might have experienced others might not, and also vice versa.
Some people like to hear a song without listening to it.
Some like the surface of the song without trying to interpret or give much thought about its meaning.
Some like to condemn a song because they don't know who the singer/musician is.
By writing this review, I hope to encourage more people to listen to quality music and restore a bit of faith in the local music industry.
I am an advocate of good music, and this album is good music.
Of course we all have our own tastes, but sometimes the tongue needs a little challenge before it knows what it really likes.
""Kita berjaya jadikan rap sebagai kerjaya""
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