Inspired by the likes of 2Pac, Logic, Drake, J. Cole and Kendrick Lamar, LM Showcase is a new hip-hop artist that hails from Queens, New York. A former basketball player for Sarah Lawrence College, LM Showcase says that experienced lots of negativity around him while growing up, but that did not stop finding his passion in music, and wanting to inspire others positively. “I feel music today is lacking positivity, especially mainstream music,” says LM Showcase. “The beats are amazing and the artists are very talented, but drugs and negative topics surface way more than it should.” Hungry, and willing to make the sacrifices it takes to get to the top, LM Showcase has released his EP “Overcome”, which is meant to inspire people to do just that – overcome their struggles and obstacles in life.
You can drop as many single as you like, but collective albums, or even EP’s in this case, are always crucial. It’s a first impression across a sustained number of songs that really shows what you are capable of in one sitting. You look at rappers like Kanye West with his incredible “College Dropout”, Jay-Z with “Reasonable Doubt” and “G.o.o.d Kid m.A.A.d City” by Kendrick Lamar.
Like it or not, all of these albums set up incredible careers for the aforementioned rappers. “Overcome” by LM Showcase is obviously an independent release to be judged on a different level, considering the resources at hand, but absolutely has the potential to expose the artist to his desired audience in a similar way.
For starters, LM Showcase proves himself a fantastic lyricist, and shows that his music can speak for itself instead of having to rely on gimmicky sounds and weird features. That’s the first lesson we learn from “Overcome”. One thing that is immediately noticeable when looking through this EP is that there isn’t a single guest feature. So secondly we learn that the artist in question is capable of holding down tracks all by himself – verses, hooks, choruses – he does it all.
Looking at the opening track from the EP, “Never Giving Up”, the three and a half minutes are an unstoppable force of nothing but pure lyricism, and a well-balanced dose of melody.
It is one of the better produced tracks of the collection, as LM Showcase explains his determination, and the importance of self-empowerment: “I am my hero. I will save myself, when none else can, as I am my own self help.”
It’s refreshing to see a new artist actually talking about more important issues instead of going to strip clubs and stacking their money. Though he does touch on parallel desires and vices on the quaint “We Be On”, which is beautifully awash with melody and LM Showcase’s sing song voice.
Lyrically, LM Showcase can be downright direct or vaguely cryptic, letting you fill in the grey areas with your own existentialistic issues. On “Ten Toes” he opts for the latter: “Ten toes get up on the line. Running through these obstacles like every time. Ten toes, I better run these laps. Many different stories every time I nap.” Rapped in low register voice that resonates in the ear, this is solid track in its own right, which fits the flow of the EP incredibly well.
“Wishing for Change” shows a moment of vulnerability, which is another trait most rappers avoid, for fear of not seeming invincible, but LM showcase openly affronts the dilemma: “I gave up, wishing for a change. I gave up, expecting exchange. I gave up, searching for my range, ballin’ got me insane, nothin’ gonna stay the same…”
“Overcome” is without a doubt one of the more diverse rap albums we’ve seen so far in 2019 – in both overall vibe and content. Nowhere does the project get boring, and never does it make any major missteps. Moreover, LM Showcase seems to have already found his very own lane. Now all he has to do, is run with it!
As his biggest fan, I thank you for taking the time. I believe he has the ability and the conciousness to inspire. Great review