Nov 03, 2021 By Candace McDuffie

On “Jazz,” a song from Mick Jenkins’ 2014 mixtape The Water[s], the emcee’s poetic prowess is on display for all to see. He has always utilized his voice as his greatest weapon—that devastating baritone—but the way he masterfully contorts it on this particular track is chilling. From illuminating alliteration to his potent use of imagery, “Jazz” is Jenkins at his biggest, his most brazen, his most powerful. Fast forward seven years to his third LP, Elephant in the Room, and the rapper has honed in his larger than life persona for something with more gravity. More