Codiac brings to the fore a very tasty piece of work that defines the best of American Hip Hop—the Yin EP. Codiac’s Yin is the first of a two-part EP series (the other part being the Yang EP) released and available for purchase on the official site of codiamusic.bandcamp.com. The Yin is far beyond just an EP. The 5-track Yin EP is like a giant lift up floors with the man Codiac himself. Features on the EP includes Cing Curt and Devin Burgess—another two rising voices in the rap game.
Codiac, whose real name is Samaad Terrell Thompson, has always been one that shares himself inside most of the music he creates, but this release sound more intimate than anything else he has done previously.
The Message & Thematic Arrangement Behind Codiac’s Yin EP
Violence plays a prominent role in most rap music that hit the air, but with Codiac’s Yin EP, the message is a different one altogether. Having undergone a lot in life, including being homeless at a time, the content of this EP wasn’t much of a surprise. On the heels of the struggle to stay close to his kids, and the challenges of dropping ‘Terrell,’ his formal stage name for the current one, Codiac’s 5-track Yin reflect on uncertainty, survival, self-preservation, love and the never-say-die attitude of a creative soul. The soundtracks and the entire content of this EP are clear and compelling.
Every track in the Yin is strategically arranged – from number 1-to-5 to deliver a message in a factual, emotional, unsentimental and yet in paradoxical reality. That brings us to the fact regarding how both the Yin and Yang are inseparable, necessary and contradictorily opposites—consolidating to become one full album. Therefore, when listening to the Yin, you can also listen to the Yang. Both are designed to be played back-to-back, and it doesn’t matter whether you’re starting with the Yin or the Yang.
Let’s see what each track holds for us.
#1. Subconscious
When I first listen to this track, I was quickly reminded of Lil Wayne’s “Mirror on the Wall.” The soft deft-touch sound startup and the mesmerizing flow from the hook into verse 1 is something typical of a Pro, rather than from an upcoming local artist. “Subconscious” is a deep soul-reaching song whose lyrics depict a man trying to map his way out of a mist of uncertainty, and with an occasional burst of intriguing rap, Codiac keeps it fresh for the listener. In the end, it’s all about survival en route to the man he has become and what he dreams to be.
#2. Come Down (Feat. Cing Curt)
Pick up from where he left off at Subconscious, Codiac delivers 4 minutes of straight bars with amazing flex. If I were expecting anything like the soft and progressive rhythm of the first song, Subconscious, I would have been happily disappointed. “Come Down” was a hit, and with the voice of Cing Curt in the background, you’ve got a whole lot with the call to come down and press on with objectives in mind and the goals ahead.
#3. Medication (Feat. Devin Burgess)
The beat was soft, deliberate, and calculative, but the tempo of the lyrical rap was breathtaking. It is a reminder of the versatile, clear and distinct vocals of Chamillionaire’s Riding Dirty featuring Akon. Medication is a sharp contrast to the flow and tempo of sustain in the first song, Subconscious, and progressive order of rap from the second song, Come Down. Medication is less or more a call for help when the going gets tough. It’s a song that reminds everyone that at some point, we all need help. Faulting anything with this track is hard.
#4. The Cings Interlude
This is the shortest song of all the tracks in the Yin EP. It is just a single verse and chorus that last a minute and 36 seconds. Initially, I thought it might be a skit or some form of instrumentals, but the blast from Cing Curt’s mesmerizing voice in verse, and that typical rich “street vocal” from Codiac is so thrilling that you wouldn’t want it to end. Cing Curt’s vocals and rap style took me back to Frieda Gatz in the seasonal movie “Empire.” This is so amazing. The projection from start to finish is sturdy and the bars are overwhelmingly compelling.
#5. Nameless
Building on the power and downright approach to the Cings Interlude, Codiac takes it a step further up the lift. This time, the bars are faster yet with clear vocals—something most established rappers are lacking. From the first two lines of the first verse, you know what the song is talking about. Nameless can be regarded as the most personal track on this album. Here Codiac let his emotions fly, and for the once in this EP, we’re seeing and undisguised and explicit show of hatred and violence that characterize most rap songs. Although not my favorite, ‘Nameless’ did question imitation, betrayal, miss-priority, and lack of love for one another and the music as well.
The Yin is part of a duo EP (the other being the Yang), and both are available for sale on CodiacMusic. They are designed to be listened to back-to-back, and it doesn’t matter which of them you choose to start. When the Yin and Yang EPs meet, they form a complete part of a single album. Here is a review of the Yang EP.
