Nav is a 27-year-old producer and rapper from Toronto, Canada. He is from the same spot as prestigious rapper Drake. Nav has even produced some songs for the great rapper. Recently, Nav has been blowing up and gaining a lot of recognition this year. I personally like him and think he has a lot of potential and skill and offers a different kind of voice. He has a great sense and skill of crafting beats. Nav was featured on Travis Scott's album "Birds in the Trap Sing McKnight," on the track "Beibs in the Trap." This is where he started to gain fame. He raps with an autotune voice that is melodic and dream-like.
Nav has a noted Soundcloud account that has garnered millions of plays. A couple of my favorite songs on his account are "The Man," "On My Own," and "Fell in Love." He sings and raps a lot about coming up from nothing and doing it all on his own. Nav also talks about his drug use frequently and the power it has given him. He also mentions its debilitating effects and the escape that it brings. Nav is really a master at crafting beats and making catchy lines and choruses. His song "The Man," is a good song that has a very nice beat, and it has catchy lyrics. For example, "And she want to go wit me cause she know I'm the man, she got no money, she got no plans, designer pants." He talks about getting girls, having money, and abusing drugs. He points out girls who only want money and who do not want a man who does not have any of it. He raps on the track, "On My Own," about coming up from having nothing to having everything he could ever want. Especially, praising himself for doing it all on his own, which is a huge accomplishment in it of itself. He raps, "Cause I did this on my own, did this on my own yeah, I don't need no help, I rather do it by myself. Don't ask me something, I don't owe you nothing."
Nav is also a very good producer, making great beats of his own. He released his self titled debut album "NAV," on February 24 of 2017. It has a unique cover that looks like swirls of orange graffiti that look mystical. My favorite songs on the album that I think stand out are "Myself," "NAV," "My Mind," "Good for it," and "Interlude." My favorite song on the whole album is very close; it is either "Myself," or "My Mind." The first track, "Myself," opens up the album very well, singing sentimental bars that are addictive and heartfelt. He sings on the chorus, "Drivin' solo, i'm just swervin' through my ends. When I'm sober I just don't like who I am. Pour me up a 4 and I'll feel like myself again. I'ma break every box they try to put me in. I got a lot of enemies who used to be my friends." This chorus hits hard and it is very melodic, as well as being catchy. It also rhymes well. Personally, I could not stop repeating that chorus for weeks. My favorite line on the song has to be "I'ma break every box they try to put in." The song attacks people who thought that he would not be successful, including teachers and various people he knows. It portrays his use of drugs to escape and relieve his stress. But more importantly, he raps about being more of himself and being himself while under drugs. He explores the world that is filled with depression and sadness. Nav interjects also that nobody can stop him and that he will break any box they try to put him in as a metaphor.
The next track "NAV," has a nice beat to it and flow, where he raps, "I remember being broke and down bad. Now I pay nothing for my sneakers 'cause I'm Nav. I ain't nothing like these rappers they won't last. I don't wanna call her now she sad." The sneaker line is comical, and it is one of the happier songs on the project. On this song he uses catchy lyrics again to gloat about his success and being able to buy expensive clothing and objects. One of my favorite songs on the album "My Mind," has a good flow to it and some of his best lyrics. The beat is polished and the lyrics fit well. He raps, "She said that she don't wanna f** me, I told her, "Don't waste my time" I do lots of drugs, but you won't see me snort no lines. I will not f*** the b***s here less than a dime. Been in the Rex for too long, almost lost my mind. Drivin' foreign cars, wait 'til I get her inside." The lyrics have a nice flow to the beat, and Nav is gloating about getting girls and money, that being the only thing on his mind now. Nav also speaks on almost overdosing and his mother witnessing it. Nav also portrays being true to himself and not being a liar. As usual, he speaks on abusing drugs and money.
Although, the track "Good for It," has some interesting lines in it. For example, "I book a flight for your b***, she know I'm good for it. I'm what the music game needed, Yeah I'm good for it." These are some good lines about Nav being something different for music and being good for the rap genre. Nav is Indian and you do not see an abundance of rappers who are Indian. He is saying he is someone special and that he is good for music. The song "Up," is a good song that again speaks on his rise to fame and having nothing to having everything. He raps, "Remember feeling broke as f***, but now I'm pulling up in Rover trucks. Keep your circle small, be careful who you trust. They gon' leave you when you down, not when you up." Nav gives an intriguing perspective on people loving it when you have nothing and are down, than when you are successful and happy. He gives advice to not trust everyone and to keep only certain people close to you. Nav is talking about fake people who always have something bad to say when you have success. I believe that this is true in real life. The song "Interlude," hit me hard because of it's familiarity and good lyrics. He states, "I can't open up to you, cause my lifestyle crazy. And every time I'm around you, I feel so amazing. I can't open up to you, cause you're not my baby." What Nav is saying in this track with outward emotion and pain is that he can not have a true girlfriend in his life. The way he lives his own life prevents it. It is also due to the fact that the girl can have a boyfriend or the fact that when he sees girls he is under the influence most of the time. Nav implies before these lyrics that he plays with girls hearts. Nav deep down inside knows that this specific girl is not the right one for him, but he will go for her anyways. This track was really well done and it hit me hard, but it only runs at a minute and 57 seconds. I thought that this track could have greatly been extended upon, also being that the album is very short in general. Or he could have added another song just like it.
To sum it up, the whole debut album has great production and all the beats on the album are polished well and as a whole fit very nicely. The album talks about subjects of his arrival into the rap game and doing it all on his own. Nav raps about getting the money, girls, and abusing drugs. Being a nobody at first, to now being a somebody.
The main weaknesses in Nav's debut album are substance and the length. In my opinion, one of the biggest weaknesses is the substance. The other tracks that I did not mention hit on the same subjects like the other songs. Nav runs out of topics and deep issues to rap about. It is easy to say that people wanted to hear more than just 11 short songs clocking in at only 34 minutes long. I thought that some songs could have been expanded on especially the track "Interlude." I thought he had some good lyrics in that track and that he was getting deep into his feelings about women, but he ruined it by finishing the track and cutting it off. Honestly, I am a fan of Nav and think he has a lot of potential, and hopefully in due time there will be another project dropped in 2017. Nav is not done by any means, but he is just getting started.
