Jay Hollywood | ‘Thee Quarantine Pack’ Review
Jay Hollywood is an artist who makes relatable music for the millennial masses. No matter the subject at hand, a listener is bound to say they’ve experienced the same thing. Likewise, his music takes on many forms yet is pleasing to the ears. In certain moments, Jay’s musical styling can be somber or upbeat, depending on what track one decides to play. Nevertheless, he says that listeners will always get a mix of emotions through his sound. “I’m pretty laid back and chill. I think people can gain a lot of emotions from my music on that,” he adds.
Jay Hollywood’s moniker was formed by his best friend. He used to go by Blue Jay, but his best friend said it was too somber for his sound. Once Jay left Maryland, where he’s originally from, a lot of his friends said he went to Hollywood, so he decided to use it as a play-on perspective. In reality, he didn’t change at all. He just started focusing on himself.
He started with poetry at five years old before making music, often penning words together as he was growing up. Eventually, he began rapping with his friends. And after discovering his talent, he decided to take it on full-time. “Some days I wake up knowing I’ll make a song. Some days I’ll have a beat stuck in my head and will write lyrics to it days, even months later. My music stems from personal experiences and stories,” he said.
During COVID-19, Jay has been making music inside and decompressing. He also found himself making more upbeat music, a vibe, he calls it. Case in point, his latest project Thee Quarantine Pack only goes to prove that he’s upped the energy on both production and rap deliveries. Sonically, you’ll come to know that the 8-track effort is trap-driven, meshing electro-synths with frenzy-like hi-hats. The themes focus on staying resilient, separating the real from the fake, and experiencing all that life has to offer. Jay Hollywood also shows acceptance towards growth and learning more. All-in-all Thee Quarantine Pack is fun yet vulnerable. There are also some memorable lines in the songs like “Surround myself with winners, so my nigga get lost.”
Standout tracks include “After Rona,” “Midnight Club-Dub,” “Social Distance,” and “Amazing Grace (Free Smoke).” But I highly recommend you listen to all of the songs.
“After Rona” sees Jay Hollywood oscillating between bouncy and sing-song rap deliveries. In almost-two minutes, Jay basks in the glory of his success, all while calling out smack talkers and gold diggers. “Either you like it or we flop, I will not lose again.” he raps in the middle of the song. Elsewhere, Jay even leaves a piece of advice about dealing with haters, “Sometimes it’s better to watch from the sidelines/Soon as they running with loaded nines, from what I heard through the grapevine.” During “After Rona,” the production focuses heavily on sporadic hi-hats and electro-synths.
The second track, “Midnight Club-Dub,” centers on Jay’s focused mentality. As the trap-pop beat sounds off, he lists off goals like, “I told myself by next year, I need to have a loft.” Shortly after, Jay showcases an optimistic view towards life and making his dream turn into reality. Deeper into the song, he encounters women who seem interested in him, but he’s wary of dating them. In actuality, Jay wants to see if they like him for who he is or his revenue. “If I showed you my flaws, can you be my witness?” he raps. Before the song ends, Jay names other goals that he hopes to obtain soon. Jay enjoyed making this one-liner off the track, “It’s costing me a lot to learn to be a boss” because he’s trying to take the next step in life.
“Social Distance” still upholds a trap-like sound, except its subtler, and gives jazzy arrangements the leeway to carry the song. On “Social Distance,” Jay stresses the importance of staying six feet apart from others during COVID-19, yet he does so in means of calling the bluff of those who are fugazy. Using a bouncy cadence, the rapper shows the true colors of women who seek interest in him because of his success. Deeper into the song, Jay unveils that he worked hard to get where he is and even wishes his exes well, while also saying that he could’ve been the one to treat her right if she had done the same.
Lastly, “Amazing Grace (Free Smoke)” uses hi-hats, xylophone, and synth loops to drive this trap beat to new heights. On “Amazing Grace (Free Smoke),” Jay talks about focusing on the bag rather than women, making money moves, luxurious lifestyle, and haters who act envious as an act of love. Cadence-wise, Jay Hollywood keeps a sing-song tone. He also counts his blessings and during our interview, he detailed three things he’s grateful for: his mom, his girlfriend, and having a roof over his head.
Listen to Thee Quarantine Pack by Jay Hollywood below:
https://soundcloud.com/luvjayhollywood/sets/thee-quarantine-pack