South Africa has never produced an artist quite like The Big Hash – a hip-hop virtuoso boasting a Kanye West alter ego, with an R&B doppelganger embodying a Frank Ocean soulfulness; emotionally transparent yet gangster on the low. The Pretoria-born singer-rapper introduced his melancholy-player persona in his debut project The Big Hash Theory, spooling out alarmingly mellow confessional brags over synth-streaked tracks. “Dropped out of school, don’t need nobody else,” he rapped, on the trap-infused track, “8578”, and somehow made you sympathetic to all his life-is-hard meditations.
Since then, Hash has become a modern-day supernova by making softer, prettier music than your average rapper. His sophomore album, HEARTBREAK HOTEL is no different.
The long-awaited record ushers in with an elegant intro dubbed “ONE DAY”, featuring American songstress, Kaash Page. On the unfeigned ballad, every piano chord is a shimmering pool, glassy on the surface, yet deep enough to get lost in. The melancholic song sees Hash ‘checking into heartbreak hotel’, and expressing his grief over an ill-fated romance.
All through the album, the music is grandiose, boasting big names and weighty references – from the twisted romance epic “EIGHT SUMMERS” to the trap-esque “BLUE BUCKS”, to cameos from Kaash Page, Flow Jones Jr., and Tyson Sybateli, among other phenomenal musicians. Where the album’s precursor, “ARIES” was airy and spare, HEARTBREAK HOTEL truly goes for it with luxe, expansive production. This is evident in the lead single, “ANOTHER DAY”, where beat-making prodigy Dooushii provides a rhythmic sound with soulful background vocals as The Big Hash struggles to pacify his quarrelsome lover who constantly bickers with him – even on his birthday. The song effortlessly etches Young Biggy into a Mount Rushmore of rappers with extreme pop crossover power.
Braggadocious raps assert The Big Hash’s lethal pen game in “THAT’S WASSUP”, which boasts a rumbling bass and features Thato Saul, Youngsta CPT, Tyson Sybateli, and ZRi. His verse serves as a fierce reminder of his formidable presence in the game as he raps ‘The prodigy pressin’ on, gettin’ back to where I belong.’
The genre-bending musician also illustrates his lyrical prowess in HEARTBREAK HOTEL’s interlude, “VERSAILLES” where he not only addresses foes but naysayers alike. Double entendres are copious with Young Biggy rapping ‘Had to go against the grain to get the bread to feed the family.’
Of course, R&B Hash is the megastar on the astounding record. However, something about him is different: he’s done being the ‘nice guy’ and affirms this in “CATCH ME” where he harmoniously sings ‘no more Mr Nice Guy, no more.’ At full length, lover boy Hash is selectively vulnerable, occasionally heartless, and set in his ways. In fact, it almost feels as though he’s done being a hopeless romantic with the lyrics ‘To be honest girl, I wish we never met/ I was better off feeling alone’ on the serenade “UNBREAKABLE”.
Expectedly, Young Biggy’s best performances on the album are in austerely plush tracks that blur Hip-Hop, R&B, and downtempo dance music. This is a skill he seems to pride himself in as he asserts ‘Rap like Kanye, singin’ like PND’ in “BLUE BUCKS” with Flow Jones Jr.
Moreover, his eclecticism can also be heard on “DANDELION” featuring Blaxckie, which introduces a dream weave of cascading background vocals, followed by a euphonious trumpet, synonymous with Amapiano music.
R&B Hash concludes the exceptional record by singing his heart out in the outro, “GEMINI THING”. The ballad is a manifestation of Young Biggy’s relatability as he casually plays into the astrological stereotypes about Geminis singing ‘You don’t wanna take no blame, must be a Gemini thing.’ A prolific artiste, The Big Hash masterly samples his popular song “AMNESIA”, making the outro all the more compelling.
The sixteen-track album is an illustration of what The Big Hash does best, expressing contrasting emotions – arrogance, sadness, tenderness, and fortitude – into one vast, yet coherent masterpiece.
