PHOTOS BY: SHAHANAH SHIVJI
Vancouver bred artist RawJ releases his new project, Only With Love (OWL).
Why does this project stand out from what RawJ has compiled from the past? RawJ does not only present his ability again, to continue to show the rest of the city, his listeners in person and online, that he stays working in the studio in production and writing music, but this project also demonstrates his ability to change his tone, at a respective rate.
The 9 track project encompasses RawJ being more sensible with his words, writing from a past relationship that ended abruptly, and out of his control for the most part. He simply gets in touch with what he was going through at the time, and does what every committed great artist would do, invest the narrative into their craft, use it as fuel and create a meaningful end product.
Only With Love is a cross collaborative project, with production from 2506's Swisslizz, one of Vancouver's home based studios 2Track, and as well as another producer by the name of ThaiBeats.
Within the project, RawJ still uses his strong vice of word play, however the motion and speed of the beat production, alongside his storytelling is quite different. It represents a melodic, relatable tone. He simply defines that he, as well, does go through moments within a relationship experience, and shows it's okay to understand the vulnerability that you may go through, when investing strong emotions to another.
ONLY WITH LOVE.
1. 9INE to 5IVE
9ine to 5ive is a reflection of when RawJ would rush home from his old job to quickly shower and get ready in anticipation of seeing his girlfriend at the time who happened to work a 9 to 5 job – whereas after the breakup, a part of him longs to see her but he is no longer included in her daily schedule. A very relatable experience many would hate to admit, but truly do feel after an emotional break up.
The track opening this project, sets the tone of both the storytelling, and RawJ displaying his flexibility to work within a different context of flow and feeling.
2. PHONE BREAK
“Every time your screen cracked, who took you to the mall to go and get your screen back? …Your naked body girl I’ve seen that, but I would never tell nobody that I’ve seen that.”
Phone break withholds a multitude of meanings as both a metaphor and a real life experience RawJ went through in his relationship.
The common issue we have in this generation, is the possession that mobile devices have of human beings; how much the possession of a mobile phone is attached to our hips 24/7, 365. With phones, particularly smart phones, becoming more of a norm in our society, the tangibility of our phones, runs less and less in the care we bestow.
RawJ describes that his ex girlfriend made a habit of damaging her phone, when she would be at social events and partying constantly. While that metaphor is most relatable to RawJ's listeners, it's more so impressively, engaging more listeners because of its reality check on phone screens breaking becoming a new trend. The track title and story also provides a great meaning as to what a phone plays when in relationship.
a seemingly permanent “break” from speaking to each other on the phone after one final conversation.
3. CIGGY KISS
Ciggy Kiss is another great example of how RawJ creates relatable content with integration of wordplay, story telling and common experiences. Its the intoxication and unhealthiness of cigarettes, compared to the addiction of being in a relationship with another, who causes stress, and toxicity but still providing a desire of pleasure and company. Not only does the added visual production to this track aid the quality, but demonstrates RawJ's ability to flex his melodic growth within music as well.
RawJ, Ciggy Kiss 2018.
4. THE ANSWER
Consistently following the melodic sound and tone RawJ demonstrates in the project, he also continues to be very honest of how both women and men experience insecurities in relationships.
To not admit that insecurity can simply demolish a very genuine relationship, is a very big stigma in todays culture of being in a monogamous relations. The whole project simply demonstrates this, especially with the day and age of phones, constant connection online with one another, the exposure of the what if's, 'relationship goals' and not to mention the sliding into the DM's, which is now the top ways of asking people out, to admit vulnerability and sharing that you can get caught up in comparing yourself to others.
One thing that Dimemond can really appreciate about RawJ, is that he is never afraid to be himself. In music, branding, the process, the risk taking, the writing and the collaboration, the man owns it.
RawJ, 2018.
5. CLOSURE
One day they love you, are committed to you, say they wouldn't hurt you, the next day they block you.
RawJ, 2018.
“You left me for the next boy, treated Raw J like a sex toy.”
6. SMOOTHIE
7. HEART BRUISE
The post break up commentary, feelings and experience. Need we say more?
RawJ, 2018.
8. SIMBA
As much as the name Simba brings in nostalgic feelings for the 90's babies, the growth of a cub to a king, Simba is symbolic track of a very similar narrative. Throughout this project, RawJ does test his sound, trying new tones on production, and being more personable about what he is sharing in his writing. For everyone is or has a Simba like process.
Growth.
Emotional connection is new for RawJ, and having him admit that this track, he saw a lot more in the future of a relationship, than his significant other at the time did, it brought challenges he was not anticipating. Having more feelings invested, than another, opens up the doors for expectations, which can lead to disappointments, which in this case, RawJ definitely experienced.
Simba is also the name of a puppy, that was an integral part of RawJ's relationship.
9. BLAME GAME
Acceptance of a break-up is the hardest part of investing time into a relationship.
Blame Game is a very relatable track, as it is a vulnerable track of acceptance, and the starting stage of letting go, as a process. In relationships, both parties do play a role, two way streets are crossed, and in this case RawJ continued to be intertwined in a very tortuous relationship and connection. As an outro track to this project, it is a great sequence of an ending to a beginning.
RawJ ain't done yet, the man stays creating, stays working. Keep a lookout.