Guided into the hearty wall of melodicism introduced by the bassline by a mere four clicks of the drumsticks, listeners aren’t given any option but to buckle-up and enjoy the ride after pressing play on the exciting new single from Damon, “Hustle With a Purpose,” currently out everywhere that indie R&B, hip-hop and urban pop is sold and streamed. Inelegant and riddled with a brawniness that instantly grabs us in the moment that it first appears in the mix, “Hustle With a Purpose” is an instrumentation-heavy track for its genre, but let’s get one thing straight – it’s greatest charm is its lead vocalist, Damon. Supported by the Crushboys in the background, this up and coming singer, songwriter and producer gives us everything he’s got and then some in this fabulous new addition to the soundtrack of summer 2020.
When Damon starts to rapping, there’s a mild melodic bend to his delivery that grows with every beat he overtakes. He’s got a lot of energy, but he’s careful with how he applies it here; instead of chasing after the hook, he delicately approaches the grind of the instrumentation in the backdrop with a fierce dispensing of lyrics that will slowly but surely become more accessible as we press on. The tempo is uncompromisingly swift, but there’s no reticence on his end with the execution of his mission. Even when he’s working with limited space in the mix, he’s got all of the attention on him (which is definitely saying something when taking into account just how many intricacies are swirling around him in this song).
Hustle with a Purpose by Damon Ft. the Crushboys
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Atmospheric textures and tones have been everywhere you listen in the pop music spectrum, but the way in which they’re incorporated into this single is perhaps the most curious quality about “Hustle With a Purpose.” Rather than depending on its postmodernity to create a narrative where lyrics would typically fall short, the beat is the greatest means of communicating a surreal element to us in this song (which is all the more ironic given its prominence in the mix and, more importantly, the brutishness with which it establishes a presence here). I absolutely get the impression from Damon that while he isn’t looking to disrespect the trends in his scene, he also isn’t looking to be a part of the crowd – he’s got too much passion and originality for anything else to be the case.
“Hustle With a Purpose” starts and finishes hard and fast, but at no point does it feel rushed, thrown together or scattered in its central narrative. This is only the first we’ve heard and seen from Damon, but even without the assistance of the Crushboys, I think it’s pretty clear that he’s working with a lot of real talent and a skillset that is well on its way to coming into focus very nicely. He has a ton of competition in the mainstream and underground alike, but if this is a good sampling of what he can do with significant limitations set in front of him, I can’t wait to hear what he produces in a more ideal setting.
The music of DAMON (FT. THE CRUSHBOYS) has been heard all over the world in partnership with the radio plugging services offered by Musik and Film Radio Promotions Division. Learn more musikandfilm.com
Clay Burton
The music of DAMON AND THE CRUSHBOYS has been heard all over the world in partnership with the radio plugging services offered by Musik and Film Radio Promotions Division. Learn more musikandfilm.com