Young RJ & Mega Ran – 2 Hands Up [LP] + Pressure [Video]

In a very real way, Young RJ’s and Mega Ran’s  2 Hands Up album could just as easily have been titled Beats, Rhymes,& Life as it does such an amazing job at making good on the promise of that well-used hip-hop phrase. The pair sketch up dynamic views into their lives with their music – starting with a rock-solid foundation of slapping “Motor City funk” beats (courtesy of RJ) and continuing with sharp-yet-slick rhymes from both men. For sure, the duo speaks about social ills, black life in America, and injustice. But they also speak about the challenges of being an artist in a social media-driven world, admitting personal insecurities, and celebrating the beautiful parts of life. The two make for a dope duo on wax. Ran’s verses often hit with a punchier, “in the cipher wit’ my boys” type of energy while Young RJ glides atop the beat with a smoother approach. They give off the sort of ebb & flow balance that made duo’s like Nice & Smooth and Mos Def & Talib Kweli so memorable.    But let me be clear, the 2 Hands Up title and sobering album art aren’t used to cynically tap into the hunger for social change that is currently uprising in the masses. This album is a bittersweet soundtrack that touches on the turmoil of our times in a crazy relatable (and truly bumpin’) way. Standout cuts include the stirring album opener “2050” (which features the Abstract Orchestra band and singer L.A. Salami), a nostalgic trek through the years called “The Feeling”,  the previously dropped“Pray”, a notable nod to Detroit‘s old-school electro sound called “Pressure“, and clever critique of the modern entertainment industry called “Algorithm” (featuring MC Frontalot).  You can listen to (and buy) 2 Hands Up via the links listed below as well as catch up on the latest music and news from RJ & Ran by making sure that you’re connected to them via the social links listed below.

vibes – deeper than rap, absorbing, dynamic, booming, champion sounds, beat rhymes and life, gotta get some things off my chest, earnest, bumpin, spirited, vibrant, resounding

Stream & buy Young RJ & Mega Ran’s music on…
( Amazon | Bandcamp | Deezer | Google Play | iTunes | Spotify | Tidal )

https://listen.tidal.com/album/137500291

Connect with Young RJ on…
( Facebook | Instagram | Official Site | ReverbNation | Soundcloud | Twitter | YouTube )

Connect with Mega Ran on…
( Facebook | Instagram | Official Site | ReverbNation | Soundcloud | Twitter | YouTube )