Jehry Robinson keeps his music sounding fresh because he refuses to sit still, and therefore, his music is as vibrant and creatively active as the personality driving it. Hip-hop may form the spine of his sound, the platform that he uses to build his songs on, but it is all those additional sounds that he manages to stack on top of that easy groove—country cool, acoustic pop shimmer, sleek dance beats, even the occasional jagged edges of alt-rock – that set him apart from the pack.
Wyclef, J. Cole and Jay Z were the names in the rearview, incentives and inspirations, as Robinson carved his way up through the independent scene, sharpening not just his lyrical bite but his creative daring as he did so. And, of course, it is artists like this that keep music moving on – the musical bricks may look familiar, but the sonic architecture he builds with them is revolutionary.
Whether it is the acoustic country-hop of “Gates” that sees him, and rapper Struggle Jennings laying out a narrative of someone trying to atone for their past actions, or the clubland dance-pop of recent single “Good By Now,” it is clear that this is new territory being explored, new paths through the uncharted parts of the popscape being beaten.
Jehry Robinson doesn’t merely blur genres to tick boxes or court trends. He does so to make music that enables us to see the bigger picture, the next chapter. Call it revolutionary, call it visionary—either way, it’s a glimpse of where hip-hop and then wider pop and chart world is headed.
