With a career spanning more than a decade, no one can say that Jelani Lateef has not paid his dues or put in his full effort to bring us some amazing hip-hop. This Chicago-based lethal lyricist cares about the world he lives in and about the well being of his fellow man. Currently promoting his inspired album, Cold Days and Dark Nights, Jelani shows us the impressive work ethic he lives with every day, and no song is better to prove that than the methodical and inspirational track entitled “No Fear”. This song doesn’t waste even one word on mediocrity; every sentence matters, and it is safe to say that here is an artist worth your time if you care about music that matters.
A rapper, a producer, and the CEO of Manhood Entertainment, Jelani Lateef is a force to be reckoned with. He is a man on a mission to elevate the rap game to a level beyond the club to a place where mature minds collectively produce solutions to problems that matter. In a genre choked with the ego of decadence, Jelani brings us an album that drops the concept of obsessing over money and focuses on the stories of the heart and the struggle to stay above the doubt.
My personal favorite track on the album is entitled “Action” — a song that embraces Jelani’s trademark smart social commentary. The guitar added to the track is a stroke of genius, as it beautifully shows the diversity of Jelani Lateef’s style, and it adds the necessary extra layer to elevate this song to something iconic.
Both humble and confident, Jelani has brought us a shining example of what it takes to make an album that has some real depth, and, in no way, is he compromising his personal beliefs to sell more albums. I truly hope that we enter a smarter age for hip-hop — a time where the genre has clearly raised its collective awareness above the club mindset because, when that awareness is finally raised, it will be Jelani Lateef looking down at the industry saying, “What took you so long?”
Jelani Lateef can be found on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and his official website.
