Reviews

Mickey Factz’s Hue is full of introspection – and he’s at his best

For me, as a parent, especially a Black parent, Mickey’s lyrics hit different, writes Music Editor Duane Benjamin.
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After dropping Warped Collages toward the end of November, two months later, Mickey Factz started off the year with another powerful release, Hue: An Audio Last Will & Testament. The album is aptly named as every song has a central message of guidance and introspection spoken directly to his one-year-old son Hue. Mickey flexed his lyrical prowess on “A-” from his last album, but on Hue he steps it a notch higher and is clearly on his “A” game once again.

The Bronx native and former XXL Freshman cover artist, continues to elevate and march to the beat of his own drum with every release and Hue is no exception. A truly complete body of work, the average listener will find themselves nodding and appreciating the content, but for me, as a parent, especially a Black parent, Mickey’s lyrics hit different.

From the concepts to production down to the arrangement of each song, Hue is meticulously crafted and put together.

From the beginning of the album “Find A Way” featuring Tony Williams, Mickey starts by having a back-and-forth conversation with his son and begins outlining how he felt when his wife’s water broke and how having a son can change one’s outlook on life.  

Concluding the album is “You Are” where Factz raps, “You are the dream that I dreamt / the cream of the crop / the deepest of depths / you are my joy in the dark.” The final song is heartfelt, yet eerie as the intro and outro of the song truly sound like the last will and testament from a father to his son, just before he passes.

Hue: An Audio Last Will & Testament is one of Mickey’s best releases in a career spanning over 15 years.

Lyrics: 8.5/10 Production: 7/10 Creativity: 8.5/10 Flow: 8.5/10 Overall: 8/10

On Repeat: Melanin, Lessons, You Are

Music Editor Duane Benjamin, or “Lah’Gic” to those who know him well, has been a member of the Urbanology family since the magazine’s birth. From music, culture, sports or life experiences in general, Duane is always up for an intellectual conversation or debate. A firm believer that laughter keeps you young, amongst friends or strangers, you can often find Duane laughing and cracking jokes to eye watering, belly busting proportions. A fierce competitor on the basketball court and the soccer field, Duane welcomes new challenges to keep him sharp and on his toes, of which Urbanology Magazine is constantly providing.

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