The Hip Hop Chronicle UK

Since arriving on the scene no less than two years ago, New York native, Donny Goines has taken the internet by storm. If its not his dope mixtapes or his highly successful ‘BARS’ weekly segment, Donny Goines has been able to market himself effectively and churn out quality music. Earlier this year, Donny was rewarded for his hard work after winning the Buzz Factor award at this year’s Underground Music Awards.

Taken his stage name from the successful street writer Donald Goines, the rapper has lived up to his name-sakes legacy, providing Hip Hop with vivid songs about the pitfalls of a rapper and the street life. He’s an emcee’s emcee.

Now he is preparing to release his debut album. Minute After Midnight is being released through Amalgam Digital on December 16th 2008, and is executive produced by Dame Grease.

When Donny spoke to The Hip Hop Chronicle earlier this year, he told me that this album will be a great introduction to who is he as an artist.

When I first heard that the album title, I wasn’t sure what it meant but Donny soon cleared it up. He was fascinated by the Cinderella story and what happened after the stroke of midnight.

But when you hear the intro to the album, its no fairytale. Right from the start, you know can get a sense of what’s to come. Produced by Dub-Z, the beat of the intro is extravagant and Donny wastes no time in providing the subject matter.

‘Coke and heroin , dope in a syringe, can you see why life is so disparaging, it was a graveyard, bullets that they mark, and I remember growing up thinking I hate God …’mother’s on welfare, no real help there and Will Smith is the only one living in Bel-Air’.

 Donny Goines - I Am Moving (Video)

The listener is then taken into the second track, ‘The Triumph’ produced by M-Phazes. In this track we see Donny’s fighting spirit, an artist defiant to be the best. The rapper is like a boxer jabbing his opponents with punchlines.

‘Watch rain from the heavens fall as I descend upon the game at your beck and call, Im a legend born, recalling the seconds gone’ and later ‘I can change the world without the major scans. I’ll independently win eventually in this century when n*ggas mention me with those considered heavenly, I knock off Goliath, on a shoulder of a giant, above clouds, so I’ll weather the climate’.

Ghetto USA (a track Donny premiered at SOB’s earlier this year), is a well crafted. Donny is vocally strong and Tess is a welcome addition to the track.

But Donny is strongest is his lyrics - ‘where the good die young … and 357’s all of a sudden make the weak strong. Where hoop dreams and Hip Hop is your big shot’.

I was real surprised at the next track. Using the Eric Brickell & The New Bohemians sample, ‘What I Am’ is mellow and a nice break from the tracks that came before it. If you want to know what Donny likes and dislikes, this is the track for you (‘A little cynical but got a sense of humour, I’m a high school dropout but love computers’). He even explains why he wears a lot of hats (‘I wear a lot of hats, nope, not because im bald, truth is, I got a peanut-head, that’s all’). The more I listen to this track, the more I’m convinced, that this track is an open letter to the ladies who wanna get down with Goines.

‘What Happened’ is an ode to the old school and an insight to what rapper believes is the problem with Hip Hop today. With a soul sample, Donny simply asks ‘What happened … now the game ain’t the same, can you blame me for asking?’. On his list of questions are classic LP’s, classic programs and the culture of Hip Hop (‘now its about a wristwatch flooded with big rocks’). Dub-Z’s production is upbeat, representing a sense hope that Hip Hop can get back to what it used to be. Moreover a sense that Donny could be the person to bring it back.

What Happened (Video) 


“What Happened” Directed by John Colombo from Donny Goines on Vimeo.

Up next is one of the strongest tracks off Minute After The Midnight. Its at this point in the album where Donny is living up to his name sake in regard of storytelling.

Ricky’s Story, is about a young sixteen-year-old named Ricky who imitated drug dealer turned rappers that he had seen on TV but gets mixed up in the street life which ultimately leads to his downfall.

‘His mind frame on high fame and fly chains, so he figured if he supplied Cain, he’s life changed because all the rappers on TV and CD’s made it seem as it it was easy’.

This track is a detailed story of the street life and has an important message behind it - Don’t be somebody you are not. Statik Selektah’s production is immaculate. Having been listening to Donny for a while, I always knew he was a fabulous writer but on this track, he definitely stepped his game up.

‘I Am Moving’ is the first single off the album. Produced by Dame Grease, the track represents Donny’s shift from just being a Internet sensation to a music artist while another Dame Grease produced track ‘MLK’ is interesting. A reflective concept track, where the New York native shows us his persistence to be an artist. ‘I don’t care what they tell me, if nobody believes, it doesn’t matter at all, no matter what I’m a king, so many doubted my vision, all these speech’s I read but when I step on them stages, they know I have a dream’.

But from talking about his dream, Donny is brought down to earth on ‘Cant Fit In My Shoes’.

‘Y’all don’t understand because we ain’t from the same hell, same shell so we can never share the same tales. What you know about sleeping on the floor, nothing motherf*cker because I’m speaking on the poor’.

Cant Fit In My Shoes (Video)

From giving us his dream, we hear about rapper’s life. ‘No bullshit, this is the truth, If you ain’t sitting at the bottom, you can’t fit in my shoes, Walk a mile in them and then you’ll understand’.

As the album comes to an end, the songs became more reflective. ‘Can You Hear Me’ is my favourite track off the album. Reflective and somber, Goines is asking God questions.

‘Why would you make a virus and then leave your people lifeless? … how can you watch your children dying or listen to a million crying?’ and later he asks ‘Why burden me with a good heart, when everybody else from my hood is dark? And why would you give me those book smarts, when you knew you wouldn’t give me a good start? They say it happens for a reason, but can you blame me, I’m asking for a reason’.

The lyrics aren’t intricate, there isn’t much wordplay but what you get is well crafted song. The questions are simple but the answers are much more difficult. I love the beat on this track. Its a throwback to the ’80’s and appropriately catches the mood of the track.

The album finishes up with the DJ Static produced ‘Heaven Is With You’. The track is about the death of his son. ‘No matter where you are, you’re always on my mind and I think about you all the time, was a blessing in my eyes, so I smile when I miss you because when I fall asleep, I know heaven is with you’. Its a great tribute song, its the only time where the rapper is happy. It’s wonderful way to end the album.

Minute After Midnight is a solid album. Donny’s writing has definitely stepped up from his mix-tapes and his Bars segments. He is certainly capable of adapting to any sound. When I initally looked at the tracklist, I was surprised that there wasn’t any guest emcee’s but after hearing the album, it turned out to be a good decision on Donny’s and Grease’s part. Donny’s lyrics were strong enough to hold his own. If you aren’t familar with Donny’s work, this album is a wonderful introduction and im sure you’ll agree that after hearing ‘Minute After Midnight’ his talent and potential really knows no bounds.

Donny Goines is the future

Donny Goines is the truth

Minute After Midnight drops December 16th via Amalgam Digital

www.myspace.com/donnygoines
www.youtube.com/donnygoines
www.donnygoines.blogspot.com

Related

Donny Goines Interview With The Hip Hop Chronicle

Donny Goines Interview After Winning The Buzz Factor Award