Truth be told, “Thuggin’ Shidd Pt. II” is one of my favorite songs of the past three years. And Grande Marshall is one of my favorite new artists of the same time frame. So here’s tossing a prayer in the sky Grande delivers yet another rib-sticking number with the release of his Fool’s Gold debut, Mugga Man.
The quality most endearing about Marshall’s music is while never abandoning the grittiness of his Philadelphia roots, there’s also this sense of eclectic taste drawing influence far outside of Broad or South Street, evident on “White Girls With Rhythm.” That and his mic presence spans beyond what we’ve come to expect from most artists his age fixated on whatever the popular sound, drug and/or topic is at the moment.
Mugga Man is a case study in vibe music, too, capable of earning spins driving home from work, the impromptu weekend road trip or, better yet, next Saturday’s cannabis celebration. Based largely around production both equal parts tranquil and hypnotic, MM’s high moments and most inviting concept resonates when the listener unknowingly becomes lost in the project’s hazy aura on songs in the ilk of “MuggaMan,” “Got Me F*cked Up,” “Dedicated” and “Head To Feet.”
Not even a 20-year-old yet, Grande still has way more to learn about the game than what he already knows. It’s the process of watching him mature, however, with a wicked elixir of life experiences and music which makes his future anything but fool’s gold.
Update: For extra credit, we offer a video for the tape’s title track, now included below.
Download — Grande Marshall – Mugga Man Mixtape