#CyphLyfeReview JAYO THE BEATSLAYER: UP AT 5 (EP)

Miami is home to many transplants from other states. Everybody knows a lot of “Stars” and Entertainers have homes in Miami, on South Beach, Brickell or Coral Gables where they can get away from the nut freezing cold of the North. One Out of Towner who’s been making Miami his new base of operation is JAYO THE BEAT SLAYER. This powerhouse bar splitter started making his face and flows familiar to South Florida at the Second Ave Cypher in Wynnewood hosted by the brother DIRTY 5IVE JAKX. He didn’t restrict his skills to the street corner rhyme circles though. The self-proclaimed Beat Slayer has been putting in work in the lab, connecting with artists and producers from Broward to South Miami, developing his sound, sharpening his blade and getting ready to re-introduce the world to JAYO. Before he does that tho, he’s got some self-maintenance to handle first.

Listen to UP AT 5 by JAYO THE BEAT SLAYER

UP AT 5, the latest release from “New Yoridian” JAYO THE BEAT SLAYER, is an honest look in the mirror over beats that paint a pretty accurate picture of the party life one finds when they Outside Outside in South Florida. Tracks like GOOGLE MAP make it evident that JAYO is comfortable making club bangers that are modern and “relevant” to the mainstream sound of Miami Rap. Even tho the beat sounds Drillish, JAYO uses it to paint a portrait with his unique brush technique. The bars and wordplay are worth the rewind, and his energy keeps the vibe turnt to 10. But as the 1st skit on the album reveals, the High Energy “Life of the Party” act is just a facade, covering up a lifestyle that JAYO isnt to proud of. “PLEASE DON’T JUDGE ME” is part confession, part apology and completely transparent. The beat is a carribean bop, but JAYO is just putting make up on some real ugly demons. We meet one of then on “THAT WHITE GIRL”, a track that takes coke rap to raw and real level. Instead of glamorizing the powder like many of today’s rappers are infamous for, he shares the side no one really wants to talk about. The side where your left broke, alone, and addicted.

UP AT 5 is actually only 5 songs long, but the project is padded up by 5 skits anchored by some superb voice acting. JAYO casts long time family SCARLET BEE ROSE, & JAY JAY BANDZ to play the roll of concerned Wifey and Best Friend, but it’s in the later skits where JAYO plays both the Demon and Angel on his shoulder that you notice this man is pretty versatile. Not only can he make self help rap sound cool and current, but my boy can act too. Too many skits on a record can be a risky thing, but JAYO had a vision and directed it expertly. By way of these skits you can feel JAYO’s struggle to get sober on “ITS NOT OVER”, and the compassion and encouragement that is delivered on the RECOVERY SKIT makes WAIT the most powerful song on the album.

Each track is layered in Word Play and entendres that are so subtle that they easily go over the head of the casual listener. However, JAYO trains in the 2nd Ave Dojo known as the Gator Pit, so he knows he can’t come weak with the bars. For those with a trained ear for bars, you will find plenty of those. For those who are just into beats and feeling a vibe, THE BEAT SLAYER got you covered with some slapping production by BABI MUSIC & ALIAS BEATS. And for those of us who are fighting one vice or another, this album is packed with relatable stories to let you know you are not alone in this, and that there is hope of taking back control of your life.

By the end of UP TIL 5, it sounds like JAYO is getting HIS life back in order. No longer content with the hell he was living in, he is doing the hard work and taking the steps necessary to live a healthy, clear headed life as he waits for ……………………………………………………………………………,……………Heaven. I love how he ends this album. That’s some Emcee shit right there. Hopefully we don’t have to wait that long for more music from JAYO THE BEATSLAYER, But for now check his Spotify. He’ got years worth of music in the catalog, and now that he’s getting his shit together you want to be tapped in to what’s coming from JAYO in 2024.

Written by 8ch2Owens

Founder of Vice City Cypher, WVCC Radio, PROFRESH Publicty. With over 20 Years in South Florida’s Hip Hop Scene 8ch2Owens has carved his name into the Miami Hip Hop history books, and now uses his talents to promote the best in South Florida Indie Hip Hop and Underground Hip Hop from around the globe.