Sometimes MONKEYMAN Goes Hard
MONKEYMAN is an up and coming artist with a diverse style that, while being inspired by artists such as Juice WRLD, XXXTENTACION, Ski Mask The Slump God, A Day to Remember and more, is uniquely him and ear pleasing at the same time. He officially started releasing music during the pandemic in 2021, with his single, Do not speak on my name (b*tch), but the song I want to talk about is his 2021 single, sometimes life’s hard.
I would categorize sometimes life’s hard as a dance track with trap influences, specifically production wise. From the creative mind of GreasyDaddy, the beat starts out with chords and a booming snare on 2 and 4 (or, probably 3 and 7) but soon morphs into its final form, a straightforward groovy tune with a happy feel to it. In one way, the beat contrasts with MONKEYMAN’s vocal. This is due to the happy upbeat groove sandwiched with the not so upbeat lyrical content. The track is about dealing with and adapting to hard situations and giving motivation with an optimistic outlook to the ones that need it. I know it's my favorite word, but the “juxtaposition” that the content and production creates is what I look for in music.
On the other hand, the production and lyrical themes throughout the song blend in seamlessly, as if they are supposed to be together. How else would you tell someone to keep their head up? Before the listener knows it, their mood is uplifted without even taking in the meaning of the lyrics. Not only does the beat uplift moods, but his sonic delivery makes for a pleasant listening experience. MONKEYMAN is adept at creating and executing harmonies and rifting (with words) over the beat, while keeping the listener on their toes with his transitions between melody and rhythm throughout the song.
