Jaden Smith Shows His Maturity In "SYRE"

Anyone who uses Twitter knows that Jaden Smith's tweets are pretty strange. Many don't see much merit to his intelligence: as far as he shows on social media, he's just another teenager with edgy remarks to be made. He's here to prove us wrong. Jaden Smith shows his maturity in SYRE, his debut album that has many powerful punches and brilliant production to back it.

When you think of Jaden Smith, you probably wouldn't expect something with substance. That's where he strikes. SYRE is powerful and sharply produced. It opens on 'B,' bringing the album to a fantastic start with a beautiful intro before Smith enters the track dramatically. 'L' takes a darker step forward, as Smith raps about overcoming stigmas against both himself - as the album tries to do - and in society. 'U' supplies an anthemic vibe, with an incredible build that has Smith go absolutely off over as it goes on. The series of songs (which spell out "BLUE" if you hadn't already noticed) ends on 'E,' with a folky intro that leads into a song which raps about fame. It's a powerful way to kick the album off.

The rest of SYRE definitely keeps things up. There really isn't a bad moment on the record; lots of places could use more, but there's nothing definitively dragging it down. Smith's rapping skills are definitely exemplified in songs like 'Falcon' with Raury which has a great contrast between its smooth moments and its intense ones and 'Hope' with its fat beat and purposeful drive. There's a lot of different styles covered in SYRE as well, rock being part of 'Watch Me' and the atmosphere being a huge factor in the longer tracks 'Ninety' and 'Lost Boy.' All of these tracks shows Smith's lyrical maturity and shine a light on his ability. His music is much more driven than a lot of hip-hop artists today - which he addresses in 'Rapper' where he really digs into the genre.

Jaden Smith shows his maturity in SYRE, his surprisingly powerful debut record. It's a great hip-hop record for a genre that's becoming too safe, and he really wears his mind on his sleeve here. Smith is not an artist you can mess with.

Favorite Tracks: Watch Me, Rapper, U, Hope, Falcon

Least Favorite Track: SYRE

Rating: 81 / 100

Stream or buy SYRE on Apple Music: