“Every young nigga in my city should relate to this,” says Philly-born Atlanta-raised Jonah Cruzz, whose Just To Get By mixtape walks a fine line between freshness and nostalgia. While his throwback flows evoke memories of Dungeon Family lyricism, the imagery in his tales of growing up hard with a stressed-out mother and “not remembering the last time I ate” are immediate and contemporary. “‘Once Upon a Time’ is a song where i do what i do best—telling stories,” he says of the atmospheric Ralph Da Ruler production. “As a teen my family never had money, but I loved making money. Quick money. Me and my homies got out here and did what we had to do for bread.” If he keeps rapping like this bread shouldn’t be an issue.
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