By Jarrad Wakefield
When JPEGMAFIA released his third studio album “LP!” in October of 2021 it came with some controversy. “Peggy” took to Twitter to tell his fans that he had to remove some songs off of the album due to sample clearance issues. However, members of the mafia woke up to a wonderful surprise on Feb. 23. That morning JPEGMAFIA tweeted that he had released “HAZARD DUTY PAY!” to streaming services. This was one of five total tracks that had to be excluded from the streaming release of “LP!” due to sample clearance issues. However, these tracks were posted on to JPEGMAFIA’s YouTube and Soundcloud in a special ‘offline’ release of the album.
On Feb. 24, “OFFLINE!” was released on streaming services containing ‘HAZARD DUTY PAY!’ and all of the previously ‘unreleased’ tracks. “OFFLINE!” continues the unbelievable run of EP’s and albums that Peggy is on. It is hard to describe what JPEGMAFIA sounds like to people who do not listen to him or experimental hip hop in general. Peggy’s sounds and samples are eclectic and always all over the place. However, Peggy’s production on “LP!” and “OFFLINE!” tends to favor harsh, industrial, and lo-fi synths and drums under samples that range from bombastic to lavish and lowkey.
“HAZARD DUTY PAY!” is one of the best songs released by JPEGMAFIA. This track was the first single to be released during the album roll out of “LP!,” and it was met with emphatic praise from fans and critics alike. Peggy shapes and molds “Ain’t No Need to Worry” by The Winians and Anita Baker into an energetic and powerful banger. Peggy creates a symphony of sound by adding his signature booming drums and bright, lo-fi synths that sparkle through the mix. The chopped and re-pitched sample echoes out the phrase “Sometimes we feel pain” which cuts through the mix like hot fudge on a sundae. No punches are pulled lyrically as Peggy calls out false-claiming rappers in the music industry throughout the track.
“DIKEMBE!” is another highlight of the EP. JPEGMAFIA references NBA player Dikembe Mutombo as he tries to fight off his demons and stay on top. Peggy’s production shines through once again on this track. However, Peggy uses this song to flex his versatility in style. “DIKEMBE!” is a groove driven, subtle yet impactful track on the EP. An entrancing guitar sample interlaced with glitchy drums and fuzzy synths all contribute to the low-key funky feeling the song gives off. Peggy’s lyrics are like a dash of whipped cream on top of a fresh apple pie. His calm flow delivers some confident and uplifting bars to compliment the richness of the beat.
JPEGMAFIA’s evolution in hip-hop is unparalleled by almost every artist in the genre. Releases such as “Veteran”, “All My Heroes Are Cornballs,” “EP!” and “EP2!” have seen Peggy evolve and shape-shift into new sounds and aesthetics effortlessly. On the back of this incredible and highly influential discography, “LP!” and “OFFLINE!” mark a new era for JPEGMAFIA. Once again, the Baltimore artist has melded new styles into his ever-evolving work while remaining one of the most original musical artists of the past five years. Elements of lo-fi, R&B, bedroom pop and southern hip-hop are all more present than ever before, especially in “OFFLINE!” The clearance and release of these tracks marks a massive victory for JPEGMAFIA and all musicians who use samples in their music. Peggy is now six for six on major releases. Fans and critics alike will eagerly await the release of Peggy’s seventh major project to see if he can continue the streak.
Image from JPEGMAFIA via YouTube
