Adub Nati is a storyteller, a narrator, and a poet to witness. The Cincinnati based hip-hop artist lays emphasis on bars above all else, constantly delivering lyrical wizardry that places the story and a narrative front and centre. He doesn’t lay too much in terms of trying to trick you with fast-paced wordplay or clever and quick flows, instead choosing to keep the vibe constant and mellow to allow for his flow to relay a story onto you that you’re able to follow with ease and interest. On ‘Emerging’, he’s at his most creative best, bringing out issues of spirituality and more with such vivid wordplay and beats that are decisively old school but evergreen in their mood , rhythm, and melody.
Kickstarting the record with a track as powerful and gripping as ‘Battling Time’ lets you immediately recognise the mood that Adub Nati wants to bring to you. On ‘Get Me’, the beat is almost keenly nostalgic, a kind of wistful and supple arrangement that contrasts his more heavy delivery. Spirituality definitely plays front and centre across the record, with Adub Nati never really shying away from his beliefs and love for what he considers holy. You can see where he gears his purpose, how he finds meaning, and how he finds meaning in the world and people around him. I find the beat choices across this record so pitch-perfect with what Adub Nati’s flow finds. Songs like ‘Happening Here’ definitely take a more contemporary spin, a harder flow that you can find yourself bopping your head to with its punchy bars. But it’s on the album’s final piece, the longest track on the record “Don’t Be Scared”, that Adub Nati really showcases the complete musicality of his work so far. With a lovely feature on the chorus and a powerful kick drum powering you through alongside Adub Nati’s most impressive delivery yet, this ballad of a hip-hop song wraps up the project with such wonderful catharsis.
A storytelling hip-hop project with purpose, meaning, and spirit behind it, “Emerging” showcases an emerging artist ready to make a name for themselves.