Recommended Tracks: “On Point”, “Red Light Green Light”, “Glory On Me”
Artists You May Like: J. Cole, D Smoke, Ty Brasel
Pursuing your dreams is not always easy, but it can be worth all the hours spent trying to make them happen. When we listen to Steven Malcolm’s music, this type of inspiration and positivity can be heard in the lyrics, as he strives to create honest and uplifting tracks. With over 8.6 million Apple Music streams and 32 million Spotify streams, Steven is making a huge impact, and is drawing comparisons to Kendrick Lamar and Nipsey Hussle with his storytelling. On his third studio album, Tree, Steven gives us 16 tracks that build upon his narrative and motivates others to shape their own.
When perusing Steven’s posts about the album, it is clear that Tree holds a lot of meaning. The tracks are very personal, as Steven tells us about his childhood, his thriving music career, and the appreciation he has for being able to do this for a living. On tracks like “Believe In Me” and “Rooftop Freestyle,” for instance, he admits that he has not had an easy upbringing, but he did all he could to get to where he is now. On the former, he raps, “So shy that I failed second grade when I was coming up / Now I get paid using my words,” while on the latter, he shares, “PTSD got me trippin / I looked at my life and it became a mission.” Even though he has come so far, he still pushes himself, as we hear on “On Point,” describing all he needs to do to stay in this industry and be taken seriously in this world.
Finding strength in connections, Steven was able to collaborate with other artists on Tree, adding to the life of each track. Steven teams up with Plan G and Jude Barclay on “Demons,” for example, each sharing their own battles with the beasts. The collaborations continue with “Red Light Green Light,” as Steven joins forces with Ty Brasel and Jay-Way. They mention the chaos of success with lines like, “I just stepped off a plane and I still got wings” and “School bullies turning into fans,” implying that the emotions are tricky to comprehend. Just recently, Steven released the summer jam, “Summertime,” which features Snoop Dogg and, again, Jay-Way. Together, they get into the splendors of the season while also managing to keep things humble. Whether we get a few lines or full verses from all of the artists featured, they made their part count.
Of course, Steven has an incredible style of his own, giving us much diversity with his voice alone. With tracks like “All I Know,” he easily changes up his vocals to add more depth and complexity to the overall sound. Additionally, he switches his flow on tracks like “Lately” and “Respect,” illuminating his musicianship. Steven pays to much attention to detail, and by taking such care with what he does, he is able to better tell his story.
Overall, Tree does not fail to impress. It lives up to all of the hype created by the fans and by Steven himself, as it branches off in many captivating directions. From the different musical styles to the stories to the collabs, it is all there, and all comes together strongly to preserve and grow Steven’s legacy.
You can listen to Tree below or on platforms like Apple Music and SoundCloud.
Keep up with Steven Malcolm: Instagram // Facebook // Twitter // YouTube // Website
