Ur Maa let us in on a small secret, but in a big way. i make music i like is what he calls his latest project, and it’s how he allowed seemingly effortless but undeniably beautiful songs. The lead single, “Umm???” was a fitting excerpt to give listeners, because the rest of the album followed suit. None of the songs cross the three-minute threshold, leaving a lot left to be desired from the Brooklyn-rapper, But like the title of his mixtape suggests, that is not for us to decide or even concern ourselves with.
i make music i like begins with the song “Mantro,” close in spelling to the word “mantra,” something the track resembles. That mantra would be, “Gotta resist, gotta evolve.” Ur Maa may be referring to the idea of moving on, and resisting the temptation of complacency. It’s easy to stay in your comfort zone, but one does not grow without pushing the limits. Ur Maa could be hinting at that in just that line, which he repeats at several parts in the song. The sprinkle of symbolism in this song, coated with sounds from a jazzy jam sesh, make this track extraordinary compared to its contemporaries.
The tape is comprised of seven songs, and once you make it past “Umm???,” which ended up the third track, there is a slight decline in that initial sensation felt initially. Songs such as “Homage” and “Lonely Mountain” are there regarding sound and lyricism, but there’s nothing that puts them out in front. Respect is due to the producers, Ade Hakim and Greenss, respectively. Without their touch, the latter portion of the mixtape may have flown completely under the radar. That said, the beat provided by Brown Buddha on the last track, “Trippin,” paired with the soft voice Ur Maa uses to deliver his message, make for an appropriate send-off.
It’s important to be patient. In a small note underneath the songs on Ur Maa’s Bandcamp, he wrote, “immil is the start for me.” There is more to come, and hopefully the desires listeners had after taking in this mixtape are accounted for on the next one. That said, i make music i like is a solid tape, and definitely worth a listen. You can only find it on his Bandcamp, so be sure you’re in the right spot.