Have you ever been caught in a love limbo? I’s sort of like a magnet, but the ends are pushing and pulling at the same time. It creates a kind of wall or barrier when everything about you wants to pull towards the person you love. It seems this is one of those things that there are only two cures for, openness or closure. There is a yearning for that person that you love, but if it can never happen there’s also a yearning to at least have honesty and openness. This is a yearning that Statz explores in his track ‘GANGSTALUV’ part of his debut EP LOVE/LIFE.
‘GANGSTALUV’ is the second track in LOVE/LIFE which features a dynamic hip-hop R&B blend. The overall EP does a great job at capturing different sounds and energies which build together in a captivating way. With an alternative musical theme running through each track, some of them have more of a hip-hop leaning basis, and some lean more into R&B. Some of them richly land in the middle of each genre. ‘GANGSTALUV’ captures a chill R&B basis with a lo-fi sounding rhythmic beat that’s built with synthy sounds in both brighter and darker tones. The percussion does a great job at ushering the chill energy through the track. The vocals in ‘GANGSTALUV’ build a catchy chorus with interesting harmonies and verses with a rap flow that vibes in just the right way. It’s such a well-done track, and the production pulls everything together in clarity.
There’s such a yearning in the lyricism of ‘GANGSTALUV.’ It focuses on the idea of missing and wanting to be with someone you deeply love, but their reservations and life experiences pull them away from that. “You say things complicated / Don’t think I can’t tell /Left me in this bedroom waiting / Damn I miss your smell / Damn I miss those lips,” the lyrics depict. There’s such a bittersweet way in which it’s written, bringing in a sense of love and also emptiness. It also depicts a disconnect in communication, asking whom the song is about to be upfront. Rather than acting like there’s nothing wrong, the voice of the track asks the one they love to, “Tell me I’m not what you need.” There’s a sense of closure here. It’s a yearning for love, but also a need for closure to put these feelings to rest if nothing will come from it. It’s written so well and does a great job at portraying its ideas in a very human way.
Statz is a New York-based Hip-hop/R&B artist with a family background in music. His grandfather was a famed doo-wop singer in the 1970s, and his father and uncles were all a part of the hip-hop group Phanton Crew. In his musical journey, Statz has had a focus on collaboration. He started rapping at a young age, finding beats on Youtube and rapping over them with his brothers. He’s had his hand in many different albums and projects such as ‘Before the Money’ by Grizzy Roe and music for the NoFrillz podcast. He wants to extend this focus, working with other creatives throughout his musical journey. ‘GANGSTALUV’ is a part of Statz’s debut solo EP LOVE/LIFE. This EP delivers a diverse and colorful soundscape, and it’s definitely worth more than a few listens.
Written by Sage Plapp
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