New Muja Messiah - "Growing Pains"

All of all Muja Messiah's fans, which include Brother Ali, Slug, and 2DopeBoyz, none are bigger than himself. Like Kanye West, Muja's got some kind of flair for self-promotion. Also like the Chicago-based rapper, Messiah delivers the goods that, haters be damned, show that his braggadocio may actually be justified.

"Growing Pains", the first leaked single from his upcoming album Thee Adventures Of A B-Boy D-Boy, tells the story of his success, but also the story of how hard he worked in order to get there, and what the stakes are for Messiah. "Every time I write a rhyme/I put my life on the line" sounds like hyperbole, but it's a line delivered with the conviction needed for the listener to believe him. The track, produced by Doc, based around a swirling orchestral loop and a soulful hook, is a compelling juxtaposition of extroverted confidence (check out the first verse) and introspective reflection (dig the description of Muja's teenage years).

Listen to "Growing Pains" at the top of the post, or download the track here.

Thee Adventures of A B-Boy D-Boy is out on July 29th.

Muja Messiah MySpace

(Jonathan Graef)