In October of 2019, Jamaican-born rapper BEAM dropped his debut record 95, a project decorated with tracks that find a unique intersection between hip-hop, electronic, and dancehall styles of music. BEAM, née Thompson, is the son of the legendary Jamaican gospel singer Papa San, and after years of securing production and songwriting placements with industry heavyweights like Diplo and 21 Savage (and earning himself a Grammy in the process), BEAM has decided to go solo. In an interview with High Snobiety, BEAM detailed how it is difficult to move out of his father’s shadow, telling them that Papa San is “a huge part” of his musical identity. Luckily for him, his synthesis of traditional Jamaican dancehall and modern hip-hop and trap, paired with the executive production of Cardo, results in a unique first record that will quickly become part of your weekly rotation.

The record’s first track “Drop the Roof” is a cinematic moment of ambiance and sheer energy from BEAM, as the song begins with a slow and melodic segment of piano and BEAM’s vocals. Almost as quickly as it began, “Drop the Roof” quickly becomes far more intense, with booming 808s laying the foundation for BEAM’s patois-infused rapping and singing. The song ends after barely two minutes, leaving the listener wanting more, but certainly setting the stage for what to expect over the next 30 minutes.

95 is almost too versatile for its own good, kept cohesive by BEAM’s mastery of songwriting and grasp of two very conflicting styles. Songs like “Soldier” and “Stranded” featuring Childish Major channel Jamaican and Caribbean musical styles, and thematically focus on BEAM’s childhood growing up away from Miami. Despite this, their presence on the album contrasts well next to hip-hop/trap anthems like “Lost” and “Numb” featuring Morgan Saint, whose themes of love and tension dominate the tracks’ aural profiles of uptempo hi-hats, and on the latter, an abrasive 808 pattern whose composition and mix rivals those seen on Kanye West’s genre-defying Yeezus. “2x2” and “Unda Armor” are musically much more similar to the trap-inspired hip-hop that industry mainstays like Cardo have helped cultivate over the years, but both tracks feature BEAM’s unique touch. The former is an eerie introduction into the violence and caution found in BEAM’s world, while the latter is a relaxed and confident banger, a unique style that can be found on tracks like Baby Keem’s “TOP RAMEN” or Princess Nokia’s “Harley Quinn”.

Some songs on 95 are more dancehall focused while still having BEAM’s hip-hop style woven into it, while others are the inverse. No matter the song’s musical profile, rhythm, or production style - BEAM consistently comes up to bat and never disappoints. While this is a short project, it is not unreasonable to think that one day this project could be seen as a harbinger of an artist on the rise. Beam himself noted that in 2020 he was gearing up to release more music, and I’m sure I’ll be anxiously awaiting its release.

Favorite Tracks

Lost

Numb

Unda Armor

Rating: 8

Listen to 95 here:

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