What a difference being creative can make on your life! I met this particular guy a few times before I really met him and got to talk to him. Let’s just say it was a privilege to sit down and talk to this dude before I actually sat down and listened to the music that represents him. In August we took some time to sit down and talk about a wide variety of things concerning Johnny Spanish for my up coming magazine The Plug-N. I must admit that I slept on dude for about a month or so but I must say that by the time I actually sat down and was able to dissect his debut mixtape About Time I am more thoroughly impressed than when I first met him. You will be too.

Johnny Spanish spits a slow temped and eloquent jazz flow onthe opening “Gotta Get That.” On the J-Burnz produced “Children Of The Ghetto” Spanish speaks on the struggles and hardships of the average American these days all the while shouting out hoods across the country from Village West, to Compton, to Beadsteau. J-Burnz shoots off with a top-notch remake of Marvin Gaye’s “Make Me Wanna Holla” on the aptly inspired “Listen” where Johnny Spanish instructs the listeners to do just what the title entails. On the self-produced, short, and fake hip-hop angst filled “Love Once Stood” Spanish allows his vocal delivery come to full fruition.

When Spanish takes the time to let his inner soul go he reveals a deep-rooted passion for harmony on the surprising “The Cold.” T-Razor shows up on “Two Bandits” as the two Louisville MCs show and prove the massive lyrical ability of spitters in this unfounded sector. The two go even further in penetrating the listener’s mind as they trade bars, eights, and 16s over a hyper active beat from Spark One.  Spanish and T-Razor do the same thing as they both terrorize the new wave of technology on “Move Digital.” Producer Spark One laces the mixtape’s dopest back drop on “Either Way.”

Pound for pound, bar for bar Johnny Spanish has every un-teachable intangible needed to succeed at high levels in an ever-changing rap game. While he’s not quite the same as everyone else he has that ordinary aura about himself that will make him easy to understand to even the most incoherent of individuals. The DJ E-Feezy hosted About Time is a living testament to the long ignored fact that Louisville rappers have everything it takes to push for the now movement. To make the icing on the cake even sweeter understand that you haven’t even heard the beginning of this guy yet, About Time is his first time!