Up until recently, Toronto hip hop
MC Adam Bomb (aka “The Legend”) was known mostly for his work in collaboration
with the group Empire. His contributions of hard-hitting punch-lines, witty
lyricism, and raw delivery have garnered him a reputable name for himself,
standing out even among his talented peers. With what seems to be a break-off
from his involvement with Empire and joining the ranks of the newly form T-Dot
super-group Freedom Writers, it’s no wonder that Bomb touches on his career
struggles and transitions in outlook and focus on his solo album, Wasted Talent.
The Legend sets the tone of this
album – heavy, deep, and self-reflective – with the first track (and my
personal favourite on the entire record), Wouldn’t
Understand. Touching on his views of stardom, staying true to his craft,
and ultimately the fallout with Empire, Adam Bomb elegantly paints a picture of
the mental landscape in which he finds himself. The second verse of this track
particularly stands out as it reveals the reasoning behind his recent career
choices: “This one-man route’s new to me/
wasn’t planned out yet it panned out beautifully/ hold up – before fans shout
mutiny/ and ask about the band, ask the band about unity.” It seems from
these lines that while Bomb didn’t want to separate from the group, he found it
hard to find agreement in career choices from his peers. He confirms his
reluctance and reasons for leaving as he spits: “hate to see the day when an ‘A’ substitutes an ‘E’ on the jewellery/
but I refuse to keep waiting patient ‘till dudes agree.” Adam Bomb is
clearly hungry and ambitious to pursue his career as an artist and push himself
musically, and it seems he feels he wasn’t getting the same kind of dedication from
the rest of the rest of the Empire crew. In the last verse, the artist reveals
the underlying motivation and the need he has to push himself forward in life,
as he writes: “The problem is depression/
the solution is constant positive progression.” Adam Bomb is an artist with
an internal hunger and need to achieve and push his music out into the world,
and it’s clear from the way he’s spitting on Wasted Talent that he’s ready to take on the world.
Cue to track #3, the title track of
the album, where Bomb ferociously spits one of his first tracks released under
the Freedom Writers banner, laced over intense percussions and samples supplied
by Big Sproxx. While always one to inject a healthy dose of socially-conscious
lyrics amidst his rugged and raw content, Legend has definitely taken his new
affiliation seriously, delivering some intelligent and harsh criticism of the
powers that be in capitalist society: “Unless
you into serving they need/ I suggest you second-guess every word that you
read/ they ain’t concerned if you bleed, they ain’t concerned if you breathe/
they’re only concerned tryna feed their own personal greed/ and the succeed…”
He also explains his rationale behind remaining an independent artist and not
signing to a label (as they are part of the same corrupt system that he’s
criticizing): “I stay independent and get
paid independent/ ‘cause if I’m broke, ain’t nobody walking away with a check.”
Bomb absolutely murders this track, and if anybody needed evidence that The
Legend hasn’t lost his touch – this track
is it (video below):
Wasted
Talent is a not a conceptually limited album, touching on a variety of
topics that Adam Bomb gives a proper treatment to. On track #4, Not Me, the MC puts a final nail in the
coffin of those trying to portray the façade of being “gangsters and killers”
in their music despite having no street credibility. He dispels the illusions
of young lust feigning as love in track #6, Running
Scared, addressing the issue of pregnancies out of wedlock and taking
runaway fathers down a notch with his insightful anecdotes. Let Me Down Easy (track #5), a song
about the complications of relationships and the heartaches of breakups, has
some banging production provided by Phat Tony. Hearing Bomb switch up from his
regular delivery over a smooth rhythmic beat to a rough, accusational tone over
a busy, trumpet-filled instrumental, and back again, makes for a very
entertaining listen. Adam Bomb sums his cynical view on relationships well when
he spits: “you only get left tryna treat a chick right.”
There’s no shortage of features and
collaborations on this album (tracks #7, #8, #10, #11, and #13). It’s nice to
see that Bomb still chose to include his Empire crew on the album, with Tekman
on track #7, The Balance, and more
crew members on track #10, Silly Rabbits
(the second track on the album criticising the “tricks” that women can play on
men in relationships). Freedom Writers features definitely stand out on the
album as well. Track #8, No More, is a
homage to Biggie Smalls with dope production supplied by Rich Kidd, a
well-crafted verse by Freedom Writers member Tona, and a great attack on rappers
not holding their own weight in the game. Wake
Up (track #13), featuring Freedom Writers members Frankie Payne and Theo3
and produced by Big Sproxx, is another socially-conscious track, and is a great
teaser for upcoming FW projects, leaving the listener wanting to hear more. Anyone
who works somewhat of a dead-end job or simply is working just to pay the bills
and is looking for an uplifting track and some motivation should put track #12,
My People, on repeat (shout-outs to
Big Sproxx for the lovely production). Video:
As the title of the album suggests,
Adam Bomb likely wasn’t thinking too highly of himself at the time he put out Wasted Talent. The album cover shows The
Legend passed out/leaning on a toilet drunk with a bottle in his hand, and he
touches on his struggles with alcohol addiction a couple times throughout the
album. While seeming to be down on himself and having a cynical and morose
attitude throughout the record, there is also a tone of determination and a bit
of a paradigm shift occurring in the artists’ psyche. On Black Limoz (track #11, complete with hypnotic vocals by Monique),
Bomb talks about the various factors in his life that he thinks are keeping him
down (lack of money, too much drinking, women, lack of professional appreciation
for his music, family issues, etc.). It’s clear that he’s hard on himself and
reached a point of being fed up with the state of his life as he spits: “I
guess I’m not the man I’m supposed to be/ man, I’m supposed to be THE MAN!” Bomb
even goes as far as expressing thoughts of being ready to die in the second
verse. Even within this track, however, the shift in Bomb’s perspective from
downtrodden to focused and determined is evident, as he starts off saying he’s “giving
up” and flips the script after the second verse, recalling all the people he
knows who refuse to give up living despite their own struggles. The artist
seems to find some much needed inspiration in the strength of the people in his
life, and as a result finds the strength in himself to keep on going: “I guess
it ain’t as bad as it seems/ and I ain’t ready for these black limousines/
please – I’m not giving up.”
There’s no doubt that Adam Bomb is
an all-around powerhouse of an MC. His vocal presence on tracks is booming and
his voice is distinct. His flows are on point and his delivery is powerful. He’s
lyrically witty, with both socially conscious insights and punch-lines and
wordplay that rank him with some of the best on the mic. After listening to Wasted Talent several times, I really
started rooting for the artist – he’s got an honest charisma, despite his
sometimes blatant negativity, that makes the listener want him to win. If
anything is lacking on this album, it’s perhaps a bit more of an explanation on
the artist’s part as to how he can overcome the struggle’s and adversity he’s
facing, which would give the listener a bit of hope as well. Adam Bomb is clearly
intelligent and keen enough to see the problems in the world around him and
express them eloquently on wax. It’s my hope that The Legend can begin to
articulate his perspective on the solutions to the problems he perceives in the
world around him and in his own life on future releases. Keep on moving Bomb –
we’re glad you’re not giving up.
