After setting the stage with two solid mixtapes earlier in the year, we finally get the goods from MC Elijah Black. The young NYC emcee gives us a concept album, a day-in-the-life narrative that walks us through the ups and downs of summer in the city. Both mixtapes showed a lot of promise that made me anticipate his first album. I can now say that MC Elijah Black has delivered a fantastic debut album.

For the album, he worked producers Jordan Leno, The Underachievers, Kadaj Da Kid, Raw Stiles, Evolve one, Rkappa, and 86’d. It’s always tricky working with multiple producers on one album, and especially on one with a concept where each songs flows into the next and continues a narrative. The good news is that the album never misses a beat. All of the producers serve up a heavy dose of midtempo beats with jazz and R&B samples that serve as the perfect backdrop for Black’s storytelling.

Focusing on a day in the life can be trite in the wrong hands, but when done right it can be very powerful. Taking a slice of life and allowing it to provide a window into the bigger picture can be very effective and moving, whether it’s Saul Bellow’s Seize the Day or Spike Lee’s Do the Right Thing. With Itbeslikethatsometimes, we follow Black from the moment he wakes up and travels around the city. We experience everything from crushing on a woman to a corner store robbery to the quiet meditation of visiting Coney Island during the down time before the tourists start rolling in to rocking a show that night. There are a few interludes between songs, and they provide just the right amount of dialogue to keep the story going without weighing the record down with bad skits. There aren’t a lot of memorable hooks, which is one of the few negative things I’d say about the album, but Black makes up for it by being a great narrator. “Every Day Hustle” might be my favorite track, as he vividly recollects a robbery gone wrong. “Blue Sky” is a wonderfully moving contemplative song where Black takes stock of his life and tries to figure out where he’s headed.

Every time I reach the end of Itbeslikethatsometimes, I feel a sense of completeness. When I pressed play, I was at one point, and when I reached the end of the album, we had experienced a lot together. In a short time, MC Elijah Black has grown and demonstrated serious talent as a lyricist. I know this is the beginning of a solid career.