Jack H Vance aka Nike jays is a young Hip-Hop artist who has been rapping since the age of 7. Influenced by the new wave of urban artists, like Playboi Carti, Quavo, and Offset, Jays’ single “Taking Over” marks another step inside the hip-hop arena for this up-and-coming urban artisan. A run through the artist’s catalog on streaming platforms is enough to see that his music is a vibe from start to finish. If you dig the modern-day rap style, I can almost guarantee you’ll find at least one or two songs stuck in your head due to the infectious beats and Nike jays rhythmic, auto tuned raps. The old hip-hop heads who only appreciate the genre for its conscious lyrics and deep philosophical meanings, may steer clear here. Nike jays is on a whole different level within the ultra-modern wave of rappers who are currently cracking up the charts.
So with that being said, it’s clear that “Taking Over” isn’t for the lovers of old-school values, but for those who enjoy the specific fresh vibe and aesthetic Nike jays and his contemporaries bring along to the genre today. The song seems to be a follow up to where the artist is today. He seems to be sharing with fans his current mindset.
He proudly speaks on money and material gains, within a mental state of dominance – which metaphorically, and quite literally means his getting ready for the “Taking Over”. Cynical critics may claim this is a dangerous message to plead to the youth, but they may be wrong.
Nike jays’ message is really none other than saying – you can do whatever you want if you put your mind to it. But then again, we shouldn’t read too much into, or even over-analyze the lyrics in these contemporary rap songs.
Nike jays and his modern-day peers are here to do a couple of things, and that is to bring a captivating vibe to the music, and drop repeatable quotables which will keep your ears glued to the speakers. And that is exactly what he does on “Taking Over”.
To add to the art and drama of the track, there’s the trick of the pitch-altering vocal programming that gives the rapper a dangerously edgy tone. The beat also seems to be crafted perfectly to match Nike jays style, and makes it contagious enough so you don’t skip the track when it comes on.
Depending on your bent, some may hate it, some may love it, but what I’m sure of is Nike jays is definitely establishing himself within the crowd for who he is. His sound isn’t like everybody else’s, which allows him to be put in categories next to his more famous peers.
Do not sleep on Nike jays. His music is bright and fun, textured with warm melodies and consonant synth flourishes that express a youthful naivety missing in much of today’s hip-hop.
