In "1234," his latest release, Salt Lake City native JAK-47 makes a bold mission statement. Checking in as a ferocious combination of trap, rap, and alternative hip hop, the track serves as an introduction to a raw yet calculated creative force, one who is bold enough to pour truth to power over hard-hitting beats and hypnotic flows. With "1234," JAK-47 is not trying to fit in with today's trends but rather bulldoze a path through them. The production is atmospheric, with the forceful pulse of the record being driven by sharp 808s. JAK's flow is sparse, measured, and refreshingly unhinged. He holds it like a boxer who knows he has the ring, throwing word jabs that land with force but never out of beat.
There's an unmistakable underground grit here, which gives "1234" its edge. It doesn't hang its hat on slick gloss or pop-friendly hooks. This thrives on unfiltered energy and a spirit. You can hear the hunger in JAK's delivery. It's the sound of an artist who's taken the time to study the culture, lived through the grind, and is now poised to make his voice heard on an inescapable level. JAK-47 displays his balancing act between self-assurance and introspection. There's a purpose behind every syllable. A personal thread runs through "1234," like whispers of untold larger stories, invisible challenges, and the development of a perspective on the world as it exists beyond the pop world's more mainstream spotlight.
The Salt Lake City roots of JAK-47 provide a new perspective not often seen in hip-hop. That peculiarity informs his performance on the track, which melds West Coast-tinted swagger with a strained, borderline therapeutic delivery. It's alternative hip-hop in the truest sense, never playing by the rules but always commanding your attention. JAK-47 enters the battle hungry with something to prove and something to say. For trap and alt-rap fans bored with flows and recycled formulas, JAK's entry is a welcome disruption. He's not there to play it safe. He's here to create a ruckus, and with "1234," he does just that.