Jesse Abraham has presented himself as an artist of multiple facets, an articulate wordsmith whose dedication to the craft of emceeing is as apparent as his penchant for wittiness and unbridled candor. On I Am Water Abraham fearlessly explores the balancing act that is his life, combining the storytelling prowess of Nas with the lyrical dexterity of Andre 3000, and what emerges is a powerfully compelling narration, unparalleled in contemporary hip-hop. Though the soundscape of the album is reminiscent of his previous work, soaked in classic boom-bap assertiveness and innovative sonic exploration, Jesse Abraham uses I Am Water as an opportunity to explore his ability to adapt to multiple production styles. Recent Kanye West collaborator IllMind paints a third of the album’s production in a coat of pugnacious drum patterns and synths, while European producers Paul White (Danny Brown, Black Milk) and Tommy Black (Kendrick Lamar, Schoolboy Q) contribute equally galvanizing backdrops on this, Abraham’s third, and perhaps finest work. Joining JA on the album are superb features from Chino XL, Emilio Rojas and Nitty Scott, MC, with whom Jesse seamlessly meshes, standing strong as a remarkably talented lyricist in his own right. Abraham’s previous mixtapes and albums have been available for free download, yet he chose to make I Am Water a sellable entity with 100% of the artist’s proceeds going towards a worthy organization, Charity Water. Charity Water’s impact is unquestionable. All public donations directly fund water projects in developing countries, and all it takes is about $20 to get clean water to an individual who previously did not have access to it. To make a donation towards JA’s campaign please visit mycharitywater.org/JAWater.
