Review of TruthCity’s The Prologue

Reviewed by I.S. Jones @isjonespoetry

Ronald Evans, a.k.a. TruthCity, is a rapper originally from Virginia now firmly planted in New York City. Like most young rappers, Truth started out as a poet, but found his way into Hip-Hop when the music overtook his spirit and never let go. After much grinding, setbacks, and blessings, he gave the world his “first” collection of songs, the journey of one young man to a future of his own making. In the first track, Truth says, “struggle taught me patience and that patience brought you here to me” and this line is so important to hold onto because it serves as the thesis, if you will, for this entire project. The following is an in-depth track-by-track review of The Prologue and, as always, thanks so much for reading.

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1. “The Prologue”: We begin with Truth’s mother calling him on the phone to impart wisdom before the young artist begins his journey. I believe at the start of this mixtape, this first track, Truth was a younger version of himself, the young man who looks into the sky with all of hopes and dreams painted before him as displayed in the album’s cover. A delicate piano sways us in complimented with xylophones and Truth’s mother tells him about faith, most notably for him to be successful, he must put his faith in God. She tells our young rapper that in order to have God on your side, one has to do put in the legwork to make a dream possible. In some ways, whether you believe or not, this makes Truth’s dreams tangible, especially when she says: “All I know is there’s no one stronger than you and God.” This track is narrated much like the start of any great adventure and I believe that Truth’s journey—the start of his life and the start of his music career—is at the heart of this entire album.
2. “New Day Freestyle”: A refreshing lead-through after the intro for the way this track is so goofy and silly. The track starts as any morning would: the alarm rings, you hop out of bed, and the day the painted before you. This movement keeps the audience on their feet as it switches from praise to devious charm to silliness and back. TruthCity has so many gems of reflection in these lyrics: “Man my rent paid. My phone on, I'm just counting all of my blessings. To you that might sound crazy, but to me boy those successes. Most niggas want a condo, a bad bitch and a Lexus. I mean I want that too, for now I'll settle for good credit.” These moments in the song are instances of humility; while the young rapper, still growing on his journey, could fiend for money, cars, and “bitches,” what he’s grateful for normalizes him thus making him more relatable. Often, money and fame divide an artist from the streets and the people that made them. Truth creates a familiar landscape, that we will call Exhibit A: “Bad bitch wit a snake tongue, she suck dick till her throat dry. Oh My!” Now, every time I listen to this song, this lyric feels like a road bump. The blaring red sign about this is it is blatantly sexist and objectifying, but let us argue for a moment this young woman enjoys sucking dick, why does that make her a bitch? The argument could’ve said she is called a ‘bad bitch’ instead of a ‘bitch’, which is a different connotation, but bitch aimed towards a woman from a man can only be derogatory. No exception. The point I’m trying to make is: rappers need to do better and be far more creative than resorting to cheap throw away lines aim towards. “Feminism” aside, this line is mad funny. The youthful irreverence married with gospel undertones creates such a particular tone that I would say this track is truly, unique of this artist.
3. “A Goood Night”: When I think of this song, I imagine a montage of video clips with Truth on tour reaching out to young fans in the audience, signing posters, and listening to young fans telling him how much his music spoke to their insides. Perhaps at one point, he leaps into the crowd. This song could have also been renamed “Bitch Look At Me Now: The Petty Chant.” With the choir accompaniment, Truth really reaches out to his listeners—talking about the value of education, yet how the academic setting can be stifling; follow societally-constructed paths or follow your heart; fighting back against stereotypes and being great in your life. The part where the song gets petty is my favorite: “Ima sling these CD’s to your precious little children’ / gonna have them singing every single lyrics / and it’s gonna go: “fuck fuck fuck fuck shit / ass, cunt, slow-hoe, and a bunch of other shit.” I couldn’t stop laughing when I heard this while yelling “YAAAASSS.” Then the song progresses into a call to action for media to do better and but also for every listener to know that their actions can in fact make change possible. The radio dial turns, crackles and “Summertime” is up next.
4. “Summertime”: I just love…how nostalgic this song feels and not just for the lyrics but for the ambiance it creates: the laugh track of the kids playing in the background, the gorgeous saxophone, bass guitar…I could go on. Before I get back into this dope song, I would like to point your attention to Exhibit B: “Hi tops and low fades / Snapbacks and gold chains / Thick girls with nice frames / Cat callin’ out the window.” Catcallin’ out the window. From a woman’s perspective, I do not in the slightest find catcalling flattering nor do I appreciate it. Catcalling is a means of intimidation and belittling. There is a misunderstanding that only “attractive” people are verbally assaulted in this manner, but the tactic’s objective has nothing to do with sexual attraction. Going back into the song, aside from that, this one of my favorite tracks in the album. It’s astounding how this track literally walks you through Truth’s neighborhood, a snapshot of his youth.
5. “Bad Girls”: And now, finally, after much of criticism and just in time, a song about the ladies. I believe this one is pivotal because up until now the first four tracks have been the protagonist living in the moment. Truth has taken a step back to remember his interaction with women—one in particular—in which he had a friends with benefit / Netflix & Chill-type arrangement. The opening verse goes as follows: “Reminiscing summer flings when I was younger / Shoulda been on other things, but [yo]u went and gave me ya number / And we agreed it wouldn't be a thing, [yo]u was lonely and needed comfort / [yo]u told me make u a promise to never tell u I loved ya/ Ok / [yo]u couldnt've made it more simple for me. Truth be told I should probably thank the men before me.” These lines are polarizing because, yes, many young men would agree that relationships are a waste of time and woman are just better giving it up without expecting anything in return. Many women would not agree because cheap, facile one-time relationships are not only a waste of time but pointless. Why just have sex with someone when you can grow with them? And yet, this kind of thinking comes from a jaded place—from both of these genders. TruthCity and the young woman involved have a terrible falling out, resulting in them drifting apart, her finding a boyfriend, and her coming back into Truth’s life. As the song unfolds, while we never know who the young woman is, we come to learn how to experience changed Truth in the end.
6. “Ghetto House Party”: Back to the fun and silliness. Acting an ass with the homies, running girls, and drinking until you piss in planters. Fun times indeed. It’s interested how the overall arch of the album moves like water, similar to the way the human mind moves, which is to say we circle back to things. “Ghetto House Party” brings us back to the young man who is so full of life that he could never touch the ground.
7. “The Dedication”: Hands down my most favorite track in this album; before this one it was “I Don’t Wanna Sell Weed No More,” which is another banger. One of the more lyrical heavy-hitters in the album with these lines: “Thought you knew we here some killers, RIP tattoos, lost so many niggas, he can barely find the room to ink another initial / Another bodied too soon / Everyday another body, pray it's nobody you knew / Young and living ungodly, all we are coons, niggas, hoodlums and thugs yea that's all we are to you.” I speculate that this song is actually a persona of the very streets the protagonist grew up on. In the same way Kendrick has his song “If These Walls Could Talk” this song could possibly have been named “If These Streets Could Talk.” One of the most jarring lines in this song is “Crack infesting them streets, and nobody seems to know know from where it came, Raegon died for he told”. These lyrics seem to be in reference to Reagan and multiple speculations around his administration-funneling crack into the inner cities as a means of destroying various communities. The lyrical construction and pacing is so well done that when the words comes together to conclude the song, it truly feels as though we’ve been push through the mouth of a gun.
8. “The Wise”: I feel as though if “Bad Girls” is meant to be an introspective song, then “The Wise” is a song about extrospection. By this point in the review, we can gather gospel undertones are a signature of TruthCity, which continues in this song. Truth talks about how difficult this rap game is and how easier it would be if he had access to what he believes he deserves. Truth lives up to his stage name by dropping some real gems on his: “A loss ain’t the same as losing.” Truth talks about being insatiable yet grateful for what he does have and, honestly, I don’t know a single person who doesn’t wake up hungry for the life they know they deserve. Isn’t this what living is all about? Chasing after the sun…?
9. “I Don’t Wanna Sell Weed No More”: An anthem for the kids who need it. An anthem for the hustlers who are tired of risking their life to live. Truth talks about his experiences but does them in such a way that we find ourselves chanting with him: I don’t wanna sell weed no more. And honestly, I cannot with how much I love this song.
10. “1 Day”: For weeks after I heard this song, it was the only thing I could play when I was depressed or during my two-hour bus ride back home from school and work. I felt this sort of selfish possession most of us feel for a song that moves and understand us—I felt as though it was written just for me, it just seemed to sing to my insides. This moment is a marker for the protagonist, and for us. This is one of his growing pains. Why this song is so necessary is because it’s so relatable but also because Truth admits his worries, faults, vulnerabilities, and this makes it okay for us to admit we have days this song mirrors.
11. “Evening Freestyle”: Think of this track as a continuation of “1 Day” in which Truth picks himself up. If this song could have had another name, I would like to believe “Hustler’s Reassurance” could be an equally substantial title. What is important to note is from “New Day Freestyle” to now, we have seen a dramatic growth in this album’s voice. Now there is a great sense of awareness in TruthCity; he is a young man who knows what he wants out of this life and won’t stop until he reaches it.
12. “Till We On”: This track is just so real and honest, poignant in its message. I find myself in this song because as a creative, as a child of immigrants, and as someone who demands much of this life, it can feel as though if what is in your life isn’t contributing to your art, then it’s in the way. Whether it’s significant others, jobs, or being in programs that you don’t stimulate someone in the way they need to be. Some of the starkest lines in this track: “Last night, I left my girl. Said I loved her but she’ll never be more important than my dreams are” and that is such a heavy, painful thing to say because to rise to greatness one must be willing to sacrifice something equally great. That old saying “It’s lonely at the top” could never be more true than in this moment. My deepest connection with this song comes with this lyric: “But I told her until I make it, I ain’t never coming home.” Even you, whoever you are out there, whether it is or mom or father, whether it was an aunt or uncle or anyone that helped you on your journey so far, this song speaks to making the sacrifice people have made to get you where you are and how you must make them proud of you.
13. “Mi Amigos”: There are so many anthems in this album, and I’m here for every single one of them. In the ride-or-die homie anthem, this track is complimented with delicate pianos and it feels as though this track is the B-side “The Dedication.” If “The Dedication” pays homage to fallen friends, “Mi Amigos” praises friends who are still with him. Whether or not this was methodical, nearly every track serves to mirror or come hand and hand with another.
14. “Ain’t Thinking ‘Bout U”: This song is so funky and so petty. Oh so petty. Much like “Bad Girls” this track talks about a young woman Truth was involved with and how his life is still moving despite her walking out on him, despite everything he claimed to have done for her. Sometimes people come into your life and they aren’t meant to stay. The past, and the people in it, shapes us for better or worse. One thing I would say about this song is Truth definitely gets his Drake on in this track.
15. “Bugatti Wishes / Changes”: Truth’s cadence and rhythm is reminiscent of Logic, most notably from the Under Pressure single. This track is the only one of its kind on all of “The Prologue” because the song is two in one but also for how endearing and painful Truth’s tenacity is. We all want Great things out of this life but what are we willing to give up to get to that level of Greatness? Especially if it is not guaranteed, especially if you put everything you are into one thing. Truth splays out his fears to us, not for pity or sympathy, but because there is nothing more painful than untold story. The other half of this song feels like daylight breaking through the darkness and that necessary leap into the unknown.
16. “Outro”: This is the first time a song from an indie artist almost made me cry. Honestly. Truth reminds us that whole album is just the beginning. Several people in his life called him leaving beautiful, heart-felt voicemails congratulating him for his hard work, his resilience, and dedication. The final voicemail, one from his older sister, was such a crisp ending to the album.

Final thoughts: To pack so much in one album was quite impressive. The Prologue was hands-down my top 5 indie albums in 2015. TruthCity is an artist you need to keep your eye on; I truly believe he is a legend in the making. For his attention to detail and raw, unbridled devotion to his work, it is a blessing that The Prologue isn’t even his final form.

5/5

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