Synonyms of Strength by Radamiz
Radamiz, a 27-year-old rapper from Brooklyn who is signed to Payday Records/Ultra Music, returns with a new EP titled Synonyms of Strength. This project sounds like someone who is hungry for success and on the right path. Radamiz shows a lot of his potential on this EP. His hooks are brilliant, nearly every one hit and they all had me head bumping. His melodies are great, and he uses background vocals to his advantage for a smooth combination of sounds. His flow is good and he rides this production well, even if it can lackluster at times. The features work well. KOTA the Friend (who I’m not sure I’ve ever heard on a feature before) does an especially good job over the Basstracks guest production.
When Radamiz is at his best, he captivates the listener with his thoughts and his reflections. This vulnerability is definitely the peak of the album. Lines like “I seen rent kill more rap dreams than the radio” and “John passed in 9th grade, his pops offed them all / His ghost was still in attendance in our school halls” are emotionally impactful and give the listener a reason to tune in. Against these strong bars, the weaker ones stand out. When Radamiz ditches this introspection to boast, it comes across as disingenuous “Looked into my future, I see genius, I see Jesus.” This is where the album struggles to find a voice, and where he wears his influences a little too heavy on his sleeve. In order for Radamiz to pave his own lane, I think he needs to stick to more tracks like “Bendiciones” and ditch the cocky persona that doesn’t feel organic.
Synonyms of Strength is a puzzle that has a lot of good pieces that fall just short of being put together perfectly. I think Radamiz flashes his potential with some incredible hooks, unique flow and strong subject matter, but will need to improve his songwriting skills. The lyricism at times falls flat, but works just well enough when he lays his emotion on the line and gives the listener something interesting to mull over. All in all, this is a good project that, while it has its flaws, certainly makes me excited for the future of Radamiz. Definitely check this out and keep this man on your radar.
Favorite Songs: GRATITUDE is GANGSTA, Bendiciones, Goya
Rating: 7/10
