Pennsauken, NJ/Philly artist Famey Miscellany (@iamfamey), protegé of legendary musician and producerJerry Wonda, dropped another dope collection of powerful and ecclectic music, titled Crowns and Confidence onSoundCloud. HypeCity attended a special listening session of the 8-track album atPlatinum Sound Recording Studioin NYC, where it was created.

That the album spans a number of styles is no surprise, considering the multi-talented Famey's track record. As a producer, songwriter, emcee, vocalist, and painter, Fame has developed a keen eye and ear to best express his message using the most effective tools in his artistic arsenal. On Crowns and Confidence, Famey makes it abundantly clear what his goals are, and what kind of life a person of his stature deserves, and he certainly doesn't plan to settle for a anything less.

The recurring theme is the thoughts of a kid from the city who knows he is a king but has to deal with the struggles of every day life - people not seeing his value, the self-inflicted pressure of being great, the desires that come with knowing you are exceptional. Also on Crowns and Confidence, Famey finds a new perspective remembering his late father, taking the lessons he gave him in finally ascending to the throne he and his father knew he deserved and would eventually attain.

Opening with a soulful plea from power vocalist Kalipop (@popgod) to “alleviate my spirit," Famey sets the tone for the EP on its opening track “Desires" by painting a picture of the things he wants most in life and how these desires simultaneously motivate and haunt him.

You can hear Famey’s frustrations with being misunderstood on records like “Power” where Famey asks “how could you not see the power?” On records like “We Deserve,”  featuring Josh Duplessis (@joshglpa), and “Training Waters” featuring Leo Vega (@ispyleovega), we find Famey in a more laser-focused and ambitious state of mind, stating on the latter that he “got a crown, now i’m needing the bands, nigga, I need a Lamb(orghini) nah I need some land, beach, feet in the sand…” The record “King’s Commandment” is a personal track filled with edicts, some from Famey’s late father, concerning how a king is to behave and to be treated “no remorse for weak, no respect for timid…” Here Kalipop features again with a soulful reminder that “only one can be king.”

Famey closes Crowns and Confidence with an interlude called “House Nigga” followed by a record called “DonJon’s Escape” which features Leo Vega again. The album’s finale contains imagery of Famey comparing the feeling of being trapped in his emotions, and a “normal” life without expressing himself through his various artforms, to slavery. Famey proclaims that he feels like a “house nigga” and refuses to be a slave, to his ways and also to anyone else’s vision of what his life should be.

Like most of his music, Famey considers this album a piece of “audio art” and we agree. There is no particular genre in which to place Crowns and Confidence, though Famey calls it Trap Spiritual. Though it is heavily hip hop influenced, there are heavy elements of jazz, soul, and negro spirituals which lend to the heavy imagery in Famey’s lyrics.

Go grab Crowns and Confidence onSoundCloudand keep an eye out for more work from Famey.

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