The LA rapper RapboiJones cut his teeth as part of UglyFace before stepping back to figure out what his solo voice actually sounds like.
“Where most artists crack under weight, RapboiJones carves jewels from the breaking point.”
Eleven tracks deep, “Pray For Diamonds” pulls from jazz, boom bap, alternative R&B, and classic hip-hop without making it sound like a college thesis on genre fusion. The production just works effortlessly well with drums that hit hard, basslines that do their job, and there’s enough texture to keep your ears interested. The album title tells you everything you need to know about the core theme: diamonds come from pressure, and prayer means you’re in it for the long game. RapboiJones isn’t out here pretending he woke up perfect. This is a project about transformation, about the messy middle part between rock bottom and breakthrough that most people don’t want to talk about.
You get an artist who trusts that if he makes something substantial, the right people will find it. RapboiJones raps like someone who actually thinks before he writes. The wordplay is tight but never showy, and the references land without needing genius.com annotations. He has spent time thinking about faith, karma, growth, and what it means to become the person you’re supposed to be.
You can hear the boom bap DNA in the drums, that golden era crunch that reminds you why people fell in love with hip-hop in the first place. But there’s also space in these tracks, moments where less is more, and you can actually breathe. There’s a timeless quality in songs like “Cold & Naked” and “Second Life” where the approach comes from prioritizing quality over anything else. RapboiJones is out here making music for people who want to feel something, think something, and remember why they fell in love with hip-hop in the first place.
Do yourself a favor and give this album the attention it deserves. Put your phone down, press play, and actually listen. You might be surprised how good it feels to engage with music that respects your intelligence and your time.
Muse Chronicle 
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