RVA hip hop review: Marlon Craft-Pieces

by | Jul 21, 2015 | MUSIC

I’m gonna get this out the way. I was impressed by the lyrical maturity of this project.

I’m gonna get this out the way. I was impressed by the lyrical maturity of this project. Sure, there are industry beats on here, but Marlon manages to not let them outshine him for the most part, except where he chose to rhyme over Mobb Deep’s “Shook One’s” (which I have never heard anyone be able to come off stronger than Hav and P did back in the day).

Marlon Craft is a 22-year-old hip hop artist out of Hells Kitchen, New York that released Pieces, a 15-track mixtape back in March.

You can really tell that Marlon loves Hip-Hop, and that it has been a strong part of him finding his identity, which is something I really love about this, about Hip-Hop, as I can relate. While not all this is my chamber and it does get a bit sensitive at times, both in regards to the opposite sex and in regards to Marlon’s apparent insecurity about being white.

What matters to shine no matter what here is the quality that has been put into each record and lack of pretention, which is often what a “lyrical” rapper confuses for skill. With reflective records like “the Rain” Marlon Craft proves that though anyone can put words together, when you put yourself into those words the difference is clear; and that is what’s greater than the sum of Pieces 15 tracks.

Check out his video “When the Knicks Win a Title” below that was just recently released.

Amy David

Amy David

Amy David was the Web Editor for RVAMag.com from May 2015 until September 2018. She covered craft beer, food, music, art and more. She's been a journalist since 2010 and attended Radford University. She enjoys dogs, beer, tacos, and Bob's Burgers references.




more in music

Kelli Strawbridge Re-Releases Kings And Returns To The Camel

Ten years ago, Richmond drummer, bandleader, and all-around musical utility player Kelli Strawbridge released Kings, a collaborative soul and funk record built alongside producer and keyboardist DJ Harrison of Butcher Brown. The album arrived at a moment when...

The Last Ride of The Golden Pony

Every good music scene has a few rooms that become bigger than themselves. They rarely make headlines while they're open, but their importance becomes obvious when they disappear. For Harrisonburg, The Golden Pony was one of those places. After eleven years of hosting...

Stay Hungry pt. 1 | Band on the Road

Editor's Note: Writer's Block is a space for Virginia writers to share personal essays, fiction, memoir, and works that fall somewhere in between. In Stay Hungry, Richmond local Eric Kalata looks back on a cross-country tour and the restless optimism of...

RVA Live Music | WiFiGawd, Hot Mulligan, Heavy Friends & More

Starting the summer with some big shows. Kanawha Plaza is looking like the spot to be this season, but there is still plenty happening in the clubs around town this week. Lastly, Happy Pride! I'd love to feature as many LGBTQ+ artists as possible this month, so if...

‘Songs of Truth’ Brings Sojourner Truth to the Hippodrome

Editor's Note: For more on the life and legacy of Sojourner Truth, read Christian Detres' companion essay HERE. This has been an inspirational season for Richmond’s homegrown theatre. We are following up the sold-out run of Witchduck with the mid-project musical...