One of the curious elements of Houston rapper Javon Johnson’s rapping: It doesn’t particularly sound indebted to other rappers from Houston. Like Jay Electronica to New Orleans, Johnson’s stylistic touchstones feel inextricably linked to the highly literate, intricate of mid-1990s New York. For Johnson, Houston is a memory, a source of stories and landmarks, of occasional linguistic tics and violent characters.
New EP Houstalgia meets squarely at these crossroads, Johnson’s tightly coiled rapping and Houston past colliding in another brief, intriguing set. From beginning to end, Houstalgia‘s cuts a shadow similar to Brooklyn rap artisan Ka’s recent output, grim and intensely focused, every word chosen with intent as if no other sounds or syllables could work in place. Project closer “Reflection Perception” showcases Johnson’s narrative ability at its finest, social and political musings made vital by the weight of lived experience. Listen below.
