“The Lost and Forgotten Demo” is a 16-track album by hip-hop artist Passive the Rapper. The album showcases Passive’s range when it comes to rapping and singing. Whether it is a trap-influenced banger or heartfelt vocals over guitar strings, Passive goes for it all and comes back after making his mark on the listener. Overall, I think the strongest points were the flexibility of Passive and immaculate beat production and curation that elevated Passive’s presence and charisma.
The first half of the album establishes Passive as the rapper who is hungry to murder beats, employ dynamic flows and capture the attention of his listeners. Oh Dear was the first track where Passive opens with a chill vibe coupled with laid-back singing and an engaging verse. This is completely switched up with Identity where the atmosphere darkens with a sinister beat and Passive introduces another side of himself. He makes it clear that he’s not there to waste any time and wants to focus on improving himself. I thoroughly enjoyed the beat switches and trap influence of the song. The next few tracks are a playground for Passive to showcase his different flows, grandiose production with intricate background sampling, and wild instruments (I loved the trumpets in the tail end of Like It Is).
The second half of the album is where Passive starts flexing his vocal range through heartfelt lyrics, incorporating strings in his song and adding a lot of mood to his tracks. Why’d They Lie is one such track where Passive reflects on fatherhood and reminisces about his past. Hollandaise is another track that touches on the lo-fi singing genre with Passive’s trippy vocals. Personally, the high point of the second half was My Brother. It was a tear-jerking tribute to Passive’s brother. I can’t emphasize enough the range Passive possesses as an artist.
In terms of substance and content, the album delves into very personal themes. On songs such as Paranoid and, Reds Are White, Passive’s story-telling skills come to light. He explores his spiritual and religious side on Why’d They Lie and As Salaam Alaikum. He’s not reluctant to look outwards with tracks such as Sheesh where he reflects on the political landscape of his community. The album is broad in its range of topics to discuss but Passive is always the point of reference from where these observations are made.
Overall, I enjoyed The Lost and Forgotten Demo and highly recommend it to casual listeners who enjoy hip-hop and RnB.
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