Album Review: Mali Music – Mali Is…
2 min read
Please don’t confuse yourself with a collection of music from the nation of Mali and Mali Music. There is a pretty substantial difference. Gospel singer come R&B artist Kortney Jamaal Pollard a.k.a. Mali Music’s highly anticipated third album Mali Is… marks a subtle change in direction from Christian driven music to more contemporary RnB. After being noticed on BET’s “Music Matters” series in 2011 people have been waiting on his next move, especially in the Gospel world. A star in the making, many wondered whether he would stay true to his gospel roots or become a sell-out. Mali Is… answers that clearly leaving no doubt that he’s a talented artist that has a positive message for the world.
In a time where lyrical content can be degrading and portray a lifestyle of lavish living, Mali seeks to pull us out of the mental gutter. Songs like Heavy Love encourage you to fight for love within your family and marriage are hard to find in the RnB charts. As much as this topic might be unappealing to most, the music is undeniably catchy with its simple drum beat and arrangement of guitar riffs and strings.
Mali Is… also has a strong Hip Hop presence to it. On many of the tracks he not only sings but raps a verse or two. Fight For You is the Hip Hop anthem of the album, the beat makes you want to shadowbox with your hoodie on and the lyrics make you sing the chorus while doing it. The drums are the energy behind the track that bring it up and slow it down when it needs to. Mali makes you feel that he really would fight for you in the way he sings and raps. Sincerity makes this song purposeful and genuinely worth listening to.
Mali Music can write quality pop songs as much as he has the vocal strength to stand amongst his contemporaries. He not only shows his ability to compose music but displays talent in versatility of song style. Many of the tracks are different in tempo & genre. Not one is the same and varies from the next. His influences are broad in decade from old 60’s to modern day R&B. He beautifully and majestically lets us into his world of Christianity, spreading his message of God, love, hope and faith.
The challenge for most Gospel come R&B artists is being able to appease your old fans while building a new base of followers. Mali has done both. By signing with RCA Mali Music has been given the creative control to say what he wants while exposing his music to the masses. If you’re looking for an album with substance both musically and lyrically within the R&B genre then this is worth listening to.
