Ruff Child – ‘Memento Mori’ [Album Review]

The project opens up with “Thanks,”  a track that finds Ruff Child reflecting on his growth from a reckless adolescent to a responsible adult with bigger fish to fry. Over a moody and sparse backdrop, the emcee delivers a laidback stacato cadence laced with detailed stories. Lines like

“Trying to make my mind lift/Trying to see my force thrift/Up and loud in the crowd, here it is, where it is/ Wake up giving thanks to the lord/I did time life of crime, I was bored/I’ve been rich, I’ve been broke/I’ve been poor/I got bands, I got fans, I need more” underscore his journey and highlights his appreciation for the little mercies of life.

“Lazarus” is an aptly titled cut, punctuated by thumping drums, solemn keys, and angelic vocal pads. Here, Ruff Child talks about life changes and rebirth in the sense of leaving the past behind and rebranding oneself. Once again, he gives listeners a thorough look at his humble beginnings and leads us into his stomping grounds, dropping positive lines that remind folks not to fall into the same traps as those before them.

“The Finest” is a raw and unadulterated tale about a good girl gone bad. Backed by an ominous choral, vocal-driven backdrop, Ruff Child delivers a vivid and engaging tale about a baddie who caught his eye, but even though the web she is weaving signals danger, he is still in the game, knowing how the outcome could be.

“The 1st” is a conceptual piece about his firsts. From the first caper he pulled, the first rhyme he wrote and the first time he lost his innocence. The track details who Ruff Child really is and serves as a semi-autobiographical account for new listeners.

“Why” is a touching tale about betrayal and heartbreak. Ruf Child has a way of pulling listeners into his world with his unassuming, laidback flow and well-crafted lyrics like “Every night she’s been creeping/why she keep on telling lies/I can see it in your eyes/There was no surprise/Baby tell me why/It was televised now I say goodbye.” The track “Thug” dives into the life on the streets and the tragedies of being a thug. From loss of innocence, self-doubt, to losing one’s true self. Ruff Child digs deep into the psyche of the thug to find the root cause of the trauma and how the power of love can resolve it.

The project continues with instrumental versions of each song and closes with “This thing of Ours 3,” a plucky, vocal-sample-driven instrumental with minimal elements.