AJ Tracey shows the Before You’re Dead that hard drill beats and honest self-reflection do not have to contrast. Between
Melancholic samples floats pressureful bass and crisp snare blows that create an almost magical atmosphere-a world between rough street rap and vulnerable depth. On the one hand, beats and lyrics go directly under the skin, on the other hand you feel involved and driven in the clutches of a motivation speaker.
Title of the lecture is the album title: live before you die! In “Third Time Lucky” the Brit raps: “Every time when I was scared i called my mum – but when your mum was scared, who you gonna call?”. The background is his mother’s cancer.
And when AJ Tracer tells of self -doubt and the family, from the search for a place in life, then these difficult topics correspond to heavy bass. And in “Second Nature” he speaks of the confection between sales and authenticity: “Can’t Be a seller – I’m rather than that.” Songs such as “West Life” and “Outta Sight” sound like a farewell and declaration of love and an inner monologue at the same time – raw, honest and, yes, with heart. Don’t the Before You’re Dead is rap in the best sense, the mirror of the soul of an artist who has something to say.
You can find out which albums were published in June 2025 via our monthly publication list.