The seven year mark is a juncture in which many artists look to build upon their body of work, but for YC The Cynic, it’s time to say Farewell. As we noted earlier this month, the 25-year-old lyricist is no longer going by YC The Cynic, deciding to now release music under his given name, Kemba. The Bronx spitter isn’t quite done as YC though. Earlier this month, he released his last single under the moniker, the hypnotic “Pretty Bodies”, with Brooklynite Mr. MFN Exquire.
Last Thursday, he released his final full length work as YC, the fittingly titled The Farewell Tape. Who knows if the choice to put 25 tracks on the project was symbolic of his age, but I’m thankful he chose such a hefty tracklist. The mixtape is a celebration of his artistic ascension, full of old tracks and collaborations that he says are among his favorite from the YC era.
Within the 25 tracks is an impressive array of collaborators, including underground stalwarts Mick Jenkins, Homeboy Sandman, Big Pooh and Scienze. Over bouncy piano chops on “Easy Does It”, YC notes, he’ll “build the world, to break the world, to save the world.” Trading vicious rhymes with Jenkins on “Keep it 100”, he surmises you “can’t blame a have-not that know-not” when discussing systemic oppression and police brutality. The Farewell Tape exhibits YC’s dense lyricism and introspective musings at their best, and helps build intrigue for what’s to come from Kemba.
The Farewell Tape can be streamed below.
