I think the way to go into the latest single by Jay Read, entitled “Ride or Die” ft. Ebony Michele is with an even attitude, I went into it not expecting much because that’s the best way to go when listening to an artist you don’t have a profound knowledge of. Then after 4 or 5 listens it really hit me that this dude could not only flow but he had a substance about him too. A completely fresh instrumental combined with Ebony Michele at the absolute top of her game makes for an incredibly interesting, thought provoking, head nodding track.
Amongst a slew of comparable releases this year, “Ride or Die” not only stands with the best of what the underground has to offer but it absolutely decimates what’s currently on the radio. Jay Read is not one to wear kiddy gloves when dealing with his topics, so expect hard rhymes and explicit material, then rely on Ebony Michele to sweeten things up with her soulful vocal hooks.
Jay Read is one of the scant few emcees around who deftly blends spirituality with carnality, intelligence with skill, knowledge with pertinence, the streets with the academy, and attitude with consciousness. Something which you can savor listening to the 17-track, “3D: The Mixtape (Dedication, Determination, Discipline)”.
Jay Read’s flow is not typically ultra-swift, but is more paced to work with the rhythm and melody of his songs. He’s got a modern element that is clearly influenced by the greats that came before him. Like a breath of fresh air Jay’s flow is completely seamless, making him a force to be reckoned with.
The sincerity of his writing coupled with the sheer dopeness of his delivery make this track a great listen. All-round the beat and rhymes can both be considered top notch on this project. The song should be able to stand up to any Hip Hop playlist you add it to and in most cases, outshine whatever it’s surrounded by.
MORE ABOUT: Cincinnati hip-hop native, Jay Read, has found himself at many daunting crossroads, but has refused to succumb to its calamity. Julian “Jay Read” Daniel is proof that you don’t have to be a product of your environment. Many of Read’s lessons were learned by the streets of Cincinnati. Those harsh lessons landed him in incarceration with a robbery/burglary charge in 2002. While serving his 10-year sentence, through his meditation, he discovered his love for music – particularly rapping, and by the time his parole release arrived in 2006 he was well on his way to perfecting his craft.
Armed with an arsenal of rhymes he relocated to New York and started free styling and uploading to MySpace. In a short time he was noted by Producer Mazaroddi who invited Jay to join “Crime Street Records”. However yet another legal battle encumbered which forced Jay to all but give up rapping. A year after his second release Jay was involved in a near death accident, which is when he decided to take charge of his life. Finally he created “3D: The Mixtape (Dedication, Determination, Discipline)” which was released in February 2015, from comes his latest single, “Ride or Die” featuring Ebony Michele.
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