Justin Griffith aka Grades Of Absolute Truth (G.O.A.T.) is an indie hip hop artist that has been writing and creating a unique brand since 2005. The elementary school teacher by day, who released his first album Absolute Truth in 2006, gets his name from a childhood friend who nicknamed him GOAT. Grades Of Absolute Truth has shared the stage with nationally touring acts, such as Everlast, Bubba Sparxxx, Shwayze, Paul Wall, and Jon Connor.
Grades Of Absolute Truth’s latest release, “the senseless ep”, was entirely produced and written by Griffith and Justin “Double J” Jones, who perform the material with a full band. Each of the six songs explores Justin Griffith’s experiences during a self-imposed 40-day experiment with sensory deprivation.
It’s easy to put out an album these days. Slap together a few songs into a collection, call it an EP or album, and then upload it to iTunes or any other platform, for mass consumption. With modern technology people have been able to make and consume more music than ever. However with the massive flood of music being created, consumers are able to be pickier about what they listen to. Instead of buying whole Ep’s or albums, listeners will just pick and download their favorite songs. Many musicians have caught on to this trend and have begun focusing on making singles that will go viral rather than creating an entire album that has a concept and staying power.
Justin Griffith aka Grades Of Absolute Truth has had the courage to release the 6-track “the senseless ep” in a time where listeners rapidly jump from one artist to the next. Only time will tell if he has been able to catch the attention of an audience and keep it consistently with an EP that tells a story about a significant time in his life. The EP combines cover art, interesting themes, and multiple musical genres to function as a whole piece of art rather than a collection of songs.
GOAT’s remarkable sing-song rhymes, never sacrifice quality or complexity and those who make it past the catchy piano-driven “Hearsay” will find that, amidst the flurry of syllables, Justin Griffith is also a powerful storyteller; the ‘stories’ – which are actually experiences – boil down to one all-important theme, the human psyche.
GOAT really stands out; he is different from everybody else, but what he does definitely works and he really delivers everything that you want – powerful music, rich melodies, superb lyrics, great vocals and good rapping skills too. He even has a really talented band to back him up. Now how many hiphop artists can lay that claim?
GOAT can rap at a relaxed tempo, he can rap fast with superb articulation and a precise flow, or quite simply…he can just sing if he wants to. This makes the songs on “the senseless ep”, completely entertaining and captivating. From the standouts “Lead” and “Hands Around My Throat” to “Be Myself” and “Pheromones feat. Lourdes Mabel”, you will be hard-pressed to take you ear off the melody and music. Which means you’ll have to press ‘replay’ to catch up on the lyrics!
GOAT has filled a void as his style is like no other, while the tracks here are from true life experiences, so each song plays out like a story. This, “the senseless ep”, is a solid one, which will no doubt move Justin Griffith aka Grades Of Absolute Truth from my peripherals to dead center as a legitimate force to be reckoned with in the alternative Hip-Hop/Rap genre.
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