As expressive as the lead vocal from rapper Hassa is, the beats that adorn the backdrop of the new single “Aajah” are an essential component in the melodic tour de force that this debut release is, but they’re not the only reason why I would highly recommend hip-hop connoisseurs take an extra-special look at this track right now. Hassa navigates the deep trenches of rhythm created by the percussive element in this song without ever hesitating in his execution or showing any sort of incapability from behind the mic, and while he’s undeniably a young rookie who has plenty of room for stylistic growth in “Aajah,” this is absolutely one of the stronger virgin singles to come out of his genre’s fabled underground in 2019.
The melodic faceting in this track is really striking and a bit show-stealing in a couple of key moments working away from the chorus, but it never takes away from any of the might and sheer adrenaline that Hassa puts into his rap. His verses pop out of the speakers like fist-clenching warriors that can hold their own against the thick band of bass pressing up against the vocal at the start of the song. I can definitely see where a lot of time and effort was probably applied to the construction of this master mix, because there are so many different angles from which the beat is attacking us that it’s often difficult to tell where the next set of sonic blows is going to be coming from.
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There’s not a single stitch of wasted space here, and I think that it terms of blunt efficiency, there are a lot of other greenhorns in and out of the rap game that could stand to learn something from the production approach that Hassa takes in “Aajah.” We aren’t being robbed of the boldly colorful tonality that his voice adds to the composition, but there’s no denying the fact that most every bell and whistle we’d normally hear in a hip-hop debut (mixtape, single or otherwise) is absent from the big picture in this cut. There aren’t any augmented elements or strands of bombast meant to deceive us into thinking that the hook is any bigger than it really is. Hassa is the new kid on the block right now, but he’s acting like the most mature man in the room in this track.
It’s only his first single, but if this artist is able to maintain the standard that he’s set for himself in “Aajah,” I haven’t any doubts in my mind as to whether or not he’s going to find himself a very successful and respected player in this game as the 2010s fade into the 2020s. A lot of rappers are taking a step back from the straightforwardness of the preceding generation in favor of something new and experimental, but I haven’t heard very many with the raw, youthful confidence that Hassa’s showing off in spades here. He’s got a long way to go before he can claim dominance in this genre, but his first track does a fine job of getting his career off and running with a bang.
Jodi Marxbury