Damani Nkosi & iLL Camille Are HARRIETT, Deliver Some Of Most Conscious & Thought-Provoking Hip-Hop With Debut Album

Together Los Angeles emcees, lyricists and poets, Damani Nkosi and iLL Camille are two of the dopest and most conscious emcees not only on the Westcoast, but period right now.  Over the past year plus joining forces to create the very amazingly talented and dope new group, HARRIETT.  The two emcees delivered a little over a couple of months ago, their very consciously aware and thought-provoking self-titled debut album.

Which combines some of the most honest poetry and intricate wordplay together with some of the most animated lyricism.  Resulting in such seamlessly great chemistry between Damani and Camille throughout the 10-track effort for some of the most beautifully spiritual and introspective consciously thought-provoking emceeing you will hear.  The very soulfully infectious grooves and boom-bap sounds that’s very reminiscent of classic 90’s Hip-Hop, but you can tell is still refreshing.  Perfectly complementing both emcees throughout the very sonically cohesive and soulfully textured album.

The very lyrically stellar and spiritually informative Jack Wolff-produced, Alkaligned.  Which finds Damani and Camille going back and forth over the boom-bap production, while delivering their wise and informative bars about home and identity, the perfect track to kickoff such a stellar and consciously dense amazing album.  That then perfectly segues into the very soulfully D.K. the Punisher-produced lead single, Euphoria.  The dense drums and flute providing the perfect backdrop for both emcees very amazing poetic storytelling lyrics/rhymes.  While singer Teira Lockhart Church’s very angelic soulfully smooth vocals and amazing chorus really bring the record even more to life.

Meanwhile the very upbeat smooth and silky synths of the Emile Martinez & Bridget Perez-produced standout, Alive, provides the perfect backdrop for both Damani and Camille on the very lively and vibrant track.  As Damani spits such honest and personal lyrics as, “Wake up in the morning got crust in my eyes.  Roll up out the bed grateful I don’t sleep outside.  Turn on the news, they give me blues.  I know I’m alive, I know I’m alive.  Please don’t let the ignorance get a hold of me.  Jail is somewhere I don’t want to be.  The traffic lights, keep my spirits right.”  Camille also spitting some pretty honest and personal lyrics, while South African singer Thandi Ntuli provides a raw and powerful hook to complement the raw aesthetic of the track.  Perfectly then seguing into the very groovy Swarvy-produced, Here We Go.  Which features the very soft and amazing chorus from Rae Khalil, who also provides a surprise stellar guest verse about midway through the track too.

Reaching the midway point of the album, it really starts to get into two of my favorites on the album, which you can even argue are possibly the top two tracks on the album with African Chop House, and Heal and Chill.  Jake Milliner ironically enough providing the very groovy and stellar production on both tracks.  Fellow L.A. rapper Rippy Austin’s menacing soft flow and intricate wordplay along with his stellar guest verse perfectly complementing both Damani and Camille on African Chop House.  While the very soulful groovy horns and chants along with the very chill and smooth chorus from both emcees on, Heal and Chill, so perfectly compliments each other.  That then perfectly seguing into the very soulfully infectious and amazing Wayne Valentine-produced, 2 minutes.  Both Damani and Camille’s flows on the track along with their lyrically sharp storytelling providing one of the most soulfully poignant records on the album.

As the album shifts to the very last three tracks, it only continues to grow and get better too.  The simple, yet catchy chorus from JoiStaRR, VCR and JaVonté on, Fa You, really the highlight more so of the soulfully amazing record than the usual great emceeing from both Damani and Camille.  That then perfectly seguing into the very stunningly beautiful and angelic vibes of Aayhasis-produced, Native Sun.  Which compliments the very talented Billz Egypt and Teodross Avery, quite well.  Damani providing more spoken-word type personal lyricism about identity, faith and inspiration.  While this is the lone track that Camille doesn’t appear on.  The album then closing with the very groovy and soulful Scottie Barnett-produced, Sol Train.  A very soulfully great and amazing tribute of sorts to the legendary and iconic show that finds Damani and Camille going back and forth with such stellar lyrically poignant sharp storytelling and writing.  That’s the perfect way to close out what’s not only one of the best Hip-Hop albums of the year, but one of the best albums of the year period across all of music.