Mandala - American Pope
If you’ve listened to Illinois-based rapper Mandala's music, you know that he lays everything out on the table when it comes to his lyrics. He’s brutally honest. It’s as though he’s allowing the listeners to take a look inside his soul. He has battled with inner demons in his past. Through his music, he’s spoken out about the evil thoughts he’s had to overcome and how his faith has guided him through the muddy waters. Mandala continues this theme with his new album, American Pope.
The title track sets the mood in the beginning as Mandala continues to use a religious theme with his music. As he raps right off the bat, “Catholic boy rappin’ in the middle of America” and “I’mma tell em how important Mary is, In fact, I dedicate this album to her.”
“Evolve” has an R&B 90s slow jam vibe with singer/songwriter Nvius providing vocals that fit that R&B feel perfectly. Nvius also shares his vocal stylings on “Deliverance,” which is a hot track that could easily be heard in the club or on the radio in the mix with other R&B/Hip Hop artists.
“Dala Man” is the rare gem on American Pope as it resembles a ragtime vibe which is different from not only Mandala’s music, but any music that’s out right now. Mandala also surprises his fans when he displays his singing voice on multiple tracks. On past Mandala songs, he sticks to rapping and allows other people (like his sister, Mia, on “You Should Be Dancin’”) to handle the singing during the chorus sections of his tracks, but he decides to take a chance and give his own vocals a try on a variety of songs on American Pope. His singing also seems to follow the religious theme as it sounds like a hip hop version of the type of singing you may hear in a Catholic Church.
The religious theme follows the listener throughout the entire album, American Pope. While a “Catholic boy rappin’” is far from normal on the rap scene, Mandala makes it work. It gives him a unique quality. He’s truly one of a kind and you won’t hear any other rapper on the scene with his style. A lot of people, not just artists, might shy away from the topic of religion, but Mandala is giving credit where credit is due. He has grown a lot and has overcome so much because of his faith and he’s passionate about it which is why he’s dedicated his music to sharing his story.
