MP2: Darkness is a follow up to Molly Pitcher released in July 2016. The mixtape series is influenced by the story of Mary Ludwig, a folklore heroine who brought soldiers pitchers of water to combat heat exhaustion during the American Revolution’s Battle of Monmouth. Oscar strives to use his music to make a similar impact on its listeners.
Click here to add a video. Click to add lyrics if not listed.
Transparent Artistry| Posted April 14, 2017
Oscar Urbina continues to represent Miami and establish the state of Florida as one of hip-hop's hidden meccas. Released on April 11 through his personal site and SoundCloud as a free download, the feel of MP2: Darkness is more of a complex full album rather than random tracks laced together as you would usually find on a mixtape. The project is a unique life journey depicted in rhythmic form, from despair to struggle building up to faith, hope and glory. MP2 is the second installment of a mixtape series that began in summer of 2016, with underrated heroism as its core concept.
Heroism doesn't require specific criteria, but can boil down to the simplicity of an individual act or personal mantra. Molly Pitcher (Mary Ludwig) is historically known for the basic act of providing pitchers of water to American Revolution soldiers during the unbearable heat overpowering the Battle of Monmouth. That small act of heroism saved lives from dehydration and heat exhaustion. Oscar Urbina uses his art of transparency as his own simple act to bring relief to the unheard, the weak and the isolated.
The first single, "Teacher Chronicles," appeals to the educators nationwide who have grown tired of ineffective teaching strategies and generalized curriculum. Urbina offers the alternative of teaching through life application with a skill aimed to prepare high schoolers for real life circumstances and scenarios.
The second single to debut prior to the official release date, "Carousel," relates to the pattern of going through the motion of life that many individuals fall victim to. Urbina explains, "This is life in a nutshell, a never-ending cycle that many fall victim to as we become zombies to the mundane repetition, day in and day out." Mogli the Iceburg is featured, providing his own perspective as he lays out the difficulties of discovering the work and life balance. Each artist places a microscope over their lives to reveal how hope may be seen in between personal obstacles.
Other standout tracks are "Speak Your Mind," "Old Ways" featuring Jay Cabassa and "Bleed Confidence." Each song is brilliant in their own respect, showcasing Urbina's mastery of cadence and flow. Even his ability to sing is sprinkled in as a bonus. "Speak Your Mind" houses one of the best lines in hip-hop today: "my weapon of choice is my voice."
The Bottom Line: Start to finish, the project has a biblical feel similar to the book of Psalms. The first series of tracks shows Oscar Urbina guiding fans through struggle, despair and obstacles. The next series displays the inner battle of flesh and spirit, with the last series depicting hope and victory. This is a mixtape that feels like a full-length project as Urbina poured out his inner soul on this one. MP2 commands respect. It demands listens. Don't sleep, as this will most likely be one of the most underrated releases of 2017 by the year's end.
Song to Download Now:
"Carousel" featuring Mogli the Iceburg (Get it at Urbina's site here.)
to add lyrics if not listed.
