Title: “Mentality Monster”
Artist(b): Jadyn Ghalen
From: N/A
Release Date: April 23, 2023
Format: Digital Download, Streaming, Airplay, 7” Single, CD Single
Recorded: Studio 60 Recording Studios, West Hollywood, California, USA
Genre(s): Hip-Hop, Rap
Length: 5:07
Label: Tric-Jam Records / Dahlhouse Entertainment
Writer(s): Jadyn Ghalen
Producer(s): Jadyn Ghalen, DeAndre Patton
“Mentality Monster” is the debut solo single from American rapper and hip-hop artist ‘Jadyn Ghalen’, better known from his pseudonym ‘Boa’ as a member of the hip-hop trio ‘Orion’. The track marks the first solo release from any member of the rap group during their brief break as a group as they look to venture into their own projects. It’s currently unknown whether the track will lead into an upcoming studio album from the hip-hop artist but it is likely that we could see sporadic tracks released throughout the year as he begins to focus on crafting his own identity as a solo artist. However, it is confirmed that ‘Orion’ will re-convene in the summer of 2023 as they head out on tour as a supporting act for the final stretch on the Rum and Coke ‘The Family World Tour’ which will also reportedly be followed up by some studio time booked by the trio with intentions on working towards a sophomore album.
Since the release of their “The Off-Season E.P” and accompanying singles the group confirmed that they’ll be taking some time out for the first time since their debut in 2020. This was followed by rumours in the press of discontent within the group on how they move forward with all three members having very different ideas on the next steps as a group. This was followed up with Brayton “Bellows” Carter launching his own official website as well as featuring on one of Kara Romero’s singles during her “Post-Traumatic” album promotional run. Although the stories within the press seemed to hint at very serious tension, this was occasionally referenced on social media by members of the group in a relatively playful manner.
It was confirmed that at the beginning of 2023 that Jadyn Ghalen had signed a management deal with ‘Dahlhouse Entertainment’ alongside his solo deal with ‘Tric-Jam Records’, a deal which all three members of the group were given when they signed as a trio. With the ‘Dahlhouse Entertainment’ deal signed, it marked a clear indication that Jadyn was ready to step out on his own, reportedly requesting that the management company work on bringing opportunities to his door in terms of collaboration requests and business ventures while he works on some of his own solo tracks with a view to releasing them at some point down the road. In a recent Instagram live, Jadyn confirmed the upcoming release as well as talking a little about his current position;
“We ain’t fuckin’ around anymore. When it’s time for the three of us to get back in the studio together then we’ll do that shit, but right now we’re on our own path. There ain’t no fall out. We disagree like family does. Ain’t no bad shit between us. I literally hung out at Brayton and Aubrey’s place last night. He’s working on his own shit, Jamal’s hustling hard on his own shit too. I can’t say when you’ll hear it or what it will be for those guys cause I ain’t getting updates like that. But all I know is that I’ve been working on some stuff and I’mma start dropping that shit through ‘Tric-Jam Records’. I don’t know if it’s gonna be part of an album, but I got a whole bunch of tracks ready to drop for ya’ll.”The track was written by Jadyn Ghalen and produced by Jadyn Ghalen and DeAndre Patton. The track was recorded at Studio60 Recording Studios in West Hollywood, California the same studios that ‘Orion’ have recorded all of their official releases. The single will be released on April 23, 2023 through Tric-Jam Records and Dahlhouse Entertainment, available via Digital Download, Worldwide Streaming, Weekly Airplay, 7” Single and as a CD Single.
Song Description;The song begins with radio static and you can hear the click of a button to suggest that the mic has been turned on, a very faint rhythmic beat can be heard in the background as Jadyn delivers a slow vocal to the point where it almost sounds like it could be classed as spoken,
“Uh, huh, uh/They say the first cracks have shown/Kinks in the armour/Worrying bout who’s goin’ solo/Stressin’ over drama/Brayton hoppin on a track with Kara/She must be hoppin’ on the dick/Orion flyin’ too close to the motherfuckin’ sun/I guess those G’s are finished/Standing all alone in a booth, fascinated/We far from finished/We’re just on some selfish shit/I think maybe they invented all this shit/I think maybe they’re intimidated/Far from emancipated.” which makes reference to the reports of rifts and fallouts within ‘Orion’ over the last few months, tongue-in-cheek making reference to Brayton Carter featuring on a track with Kara Romero as one of the first solo moves within the group, he later clarifies that they’re all just taking their own paths for a minute as he states ‘We far from finished, we’re just on some selfish shit.’ Which serves as the intro to the song.
As the intro ends, the faint rhythmic beat comes into full volume signalling the beginning of the song, it’s a soundscape that has a thumping anthemic beat with a strong bassline which gives the song energy and thrust, matched with the hip-hop vocal delivery from Jadyn which highlights an emphasis on self-confidence as he delivers the opening verse,
“Let’s get real, all up in their faces/Bout to witness greatness/This is legacy shit/More than just fuckin' famous/Fuck the accolades and the critical shit/I'm searching for green and gold and them radio hits/Yeah, fuck the accolades and the critical shit/I'm out here searching for green and gold and them radio hits/Playin' the game/Cause I know where I stand/Fuckin' a popstar cause her pussy's in the highest demand/Doing this shit, just cause' I can/Everybody hates a king when they're just a man.” which indicates the confidence that Jadyn has, with the debut run that Orion had, it felt like it was important for Jadyn’s first solo effort to have some powerful self-confidence bordering on arrogance within the lyrical content.
He doubles down on the songs overall theme of self-confidence during the songs hook, serving as a prelude to the tracks chorus that truly rams home the theme of the track, first the hook,
“Ain't never got anythin' based on pure talent/Gotta play the game sometimes just to step up to the challenge/Ain't never got anythin' based on pure talent/Can't take your foot off the gas/Can't take any of this shit for granted.”And the songs hook leads perfectly into it’s chorus, setting up the emphasis for hard work being the key to his success, he adds to this further during the chorus,
“I'm a mentality monster that fight for every dollar/This motherfucker work smarter/This motherfucker work harder/I'm a mentality monster that fight for every dollar/This motherfucker work smarter/This motherfucker work harder.” It's always possible that the self-confidence will come through as arrogance, but within the lyrical content he’s highlighting that everything he has achieved and where he has come from to get to where he is now purely comes down to putting in the work. His final verse is one last opportunity to stick the landing on his first solo track and see his idea fully fleshed out in a way that is concise and consistent,
“Head down, focussed/Trusting the process/Can only trust myself, forever bet on me/Ain’t nobody gonna step on me/Business is business, this shit is my destiny/I could never fold/I’m the definition of diamonds from coal/Play hard, work hard is all in my nature/Don’t come looking for a hero/You just might find a saviour/Achievements and accolades, they keep on racking up/Money on the table just keep on stacking up/It’s relentless season/Separating the mediocre from the hardcore/Motherfuckers standing in the corner/Getting overtaken by the sophomore/Fuck, the accolades and the critical shit/I'm out here searching for green and gold and them radio hits/Yeah, fuck the accolades and the critical shit/I'm out here searching for green and gold and them radio hits.” and as we’re given the songs hook and chorus once more, the track comes to an end delivering a debut single that essentially shows what we can expect from Jadyn without the boundaries of keeping three people happy in the form of their group environment. Whether it succeeds of fails, it’s an opportunity for Jadyn to show that he is all that he believes himself to be or that he is better with the chains and safety net in numbers in the form of ‘Orion’.
“Mentality Monster”(Intro)
“Uh, huh, uh
They say the first cracks have shown
Kinks in the armour
Worrying bout who’s goin’ solo
Stressin’ over drama
Brayton hoppin on a track with Kara
She must be hoppin’ on the dick
Orion flyin’ too close to the motherfuckin’ sun
I guess those G’s are finished
Standing all alone in a booth, fascinated
We far from finished
We’re just on some selfish shit
I think maybe they invented all this shit
I think maybe they’re intimidated
Far from emancipated
(Verse 1)
Let’s get real, all up in their faces
Bout to witness greatness
This is legacy shit
More than just fuckin' famous
Fuck the accolades and the critical shit
I'm searching for green and gold and them radio hits
Yeah, fuck the accolades and the critical shit
I'm out here searching for green and gold and them radio hits
Playin' the game
Cause I know where I stand
Fuckin' a popstar cause her pussy's in the highest demand
Doing this shit, just cause' I can
Everybody hates a king when they're just a man
(Hook)
Ain't never got anythin' based on pure talent
Gotta play the game sometimes just to step up to the challenge
Ain't never got anythin' based on pure talent
Can't take your foot off the gas
Can't take any of this shit for granted(Chorus)
I'm a mentality monster that fight for every dollar
This motherfucker work smarter
This motherfucker work harder
I'm a mentality monster that fight for every dollar
This motherfucker work smarter
This motherfucker work harder(Verse 2)
Head down, focussed
Trusting the process
Can only trust myself, forever bet on me
Ain’t nobody gonna step on me
Business is business, this shit is my destiny
I could never fold
I’m the definition of diamonds from coal
Play hard, work hard is all in my nature
Don’t come looking for a hero
You just might find a saviour
Achievements and accolades, they keep on racking up
Money on the table just keep on stacking up
It’s relentless season
Separating the mediocre from the hardcore
Motherfuckers standing in the corner
Getting overtaken by the sophomore
Fuck, the accolades and the critical shit
I'm out here searching for green and gold and them radio hits
Yeah, fuck the accolades and the critical shit
I'm out here searching for green and gold and them radio hits
(Hook)
Ain't never got anythin' based on pure talent
Gotta play the game sometimes just to step up to the challenge
Ain't never got anythin' based on pure talent
Can't take your foot off the gas
Can't take any of this shit for granted(Chorus)
I'm a mentality monster that fight for every dollar
This motherfucker work smarter
This motherfucker work harder
I'm a mentality monster that fight for every dollar
This motherfucker work smarter
This motherfucker work harder”
Credits & Personnel;CREDITSProduced by Jadyn Ghalen, DeAndre Patton
Engineered by DeAndre Patton
Mixed by DeAndre Patton
Production Assistant: Imani Jasmine Woods
Recorded at Studio 60 Recording Studios, West Hollywood, California, USA
PERSONNELJadyn Ghalen – vocals, lyrics, composition, production,
DeAndre Patton – production, engineering, mixing
Ignacio Santos – piano, bass, composition
Augustine Francis – drums, percussion, programming
Imani Jasmine Woods – production assistant
