Kansas City artist Kadesh Flow has been making moves over the past couple of years, releasing a couple of strong EPs as a solo artist and working with the Marcus Lewis Big Band’s Brass and Boujee project. For all that’s been going well for him, the day to day struggle of an independent artist in this era can be tough and wear on a person. Like a true musician, though, Kadesh put it all in the music to drop a new EP, Motivated.

If you’ve been following his career, you’ll notice a shift in production style on this EP, with Kadesh mostly handling the reins and creating a modern trap/R&B soundscape. This is further fleshed out and made unique unto him by the inclusion of his own trombone playing, although it is mostly kept in the background as a touch of flavor and melodic interest. This is also some of the most introspective music that Kadesh Flow has made up until this point in his career, as he works through his feelings about the music industry. He knows he has accomplished some dope things already and has the respect of people that matter to him, but on the day to day, he’s still grinding and fighting for respect elsewhere, trying to get people to pay attention and give him the monetary respect he’s due for his labor. If ever there was a theme for the current state of the music industry, this is it. This isn’t a whiny EP, though, and Kadesh isn’t just looking for sympathy. He’s venting about some real shit, but then he’s also putting positive energy out there, discussing what he is grateful for and what he still hopes to accomplish. All in all, it’s a pretty easy EP to relate to.

Kadesh Flow continues to grow as an artist, and Motivated is a nice next step for him. It’s a different sound, and a lot more raw and personal as well, allowing listeners to see a different side of him. It’s also a great example of making art for yourself and then allowing others to connect on that personal level.