Title: “Mentality Monster E.P”
Artist: Jadyn Ghalen
Release Date: August 19, 2023
Recorded: Studio 60 Recording Studios, West Hollywood, California, USA
Genre(s): Hip-Hop, Rap
Length: 18:02
Label: Tric-Jam Records / Dahlhouse Entertainment
Producer(s): Jadyn Ghalen, DeAndre Patton

“Mentality Monster E.P” is an extended play release from American hip-hop/rap artist ‘Jadyn “Boa” Ghalen’, known primarily as a member of the rap trio ‘Orion’. This marks the first major long-form solo release from the artist having previously released three solo singles in the build towards the E.P’s release. The collection comes from a period of time off from his main project as part of the group ‘Orion’ who decided in late 2022 that they would have a six plus month break before reconvening as a group to record their sophomore album. During that downtime, each member of the group decided to spend their time however they chose with Jadyn being the only member that decided that they wanted to pursue the first steps into his solo career. This began officially in January 2023 when he headed into a recording studio but was only known in April 2023 when he released the first of three singles from the project titled “Mentality Monster”, the track gained a lot of popularity early on and was well received critically and commercially, peaking at number one on the singles chart and setting up his solo career in strong fashion. He decided to act on the momentum and followed this up with the release of the second single a month later titled “Euphoria” which again was considered a highly successful release in a period of low activity in the industry.

Around the end of June it was confirmed that the E.P had been finished and was awaiting an official release date with both his label Tric-Jam Records and management Dahlhouse Entertainment working on finding the best period for the release of the E.P. which proved tricky with Jadyn not set to support the release with any shows but instead set to return to the stage with ‘Orion’ in July as a support act for one of the final legs of Rum & Coke’s world tour and with the trio set to return to the studio in August to begin work on their own return. Eventually it was agreed that the E.P would see a release in August with a final single coming that month too. This would mean that Jadyn would find himself both working in the studio with ‘Orion’ as well as finding the time for promotional aspects of the E.P’s release which would be kept to a minimum.

On August 6, 2023 the final single from the E.P was released, titled “Judgment Day” and followed on the heels of the Radio Vine collaboration titled “Jury” in a bizarre coincidence. Although Radio Vine’s single wasn’t given release to Airplay due to her ongoing legal action against her abusers, former creative director and former producer and songwriter due to the material of the track directly referencing the trial it was well received. “Judgement Day” was however given a release as the final single from the collection of tracks and peaked at number two on the Airplay Charts, seeing a strong debut roll-out for the E.P with three top two singles which set the table for the final piece of the project to fall into place and a release date of August 19, 2023 being given for the E.P to finally be delivered. In anticipation of the E.P’s release, Jadyn was the latest artist interviewed on the popular ‘Half-Moon Music’ platform ‘In Conversation’ with Ashford York where they talked about the E.P as well as the attention on the fact that he was the first member of the group to go solo and various public rumours about his life and relationship with the rest of the group following his solo aspirations.

The ”Mentality Monster E.P” was recorded at Studio 60 Recording Studios in West Hollywood, California sporadically between January 2023 and June 2023 and was produced by Jadyn Ghalen alongside DeAndre Patton. Mixed and Engineered by DeAndre Patton with additional support from production assistant Imani Jasmine Woods. The E.P. will be distributed by Tric-Jam Records and released worldwide on August 19, 2023.

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Tracklisting;

01. “Mentality Monster” (5:07)
02. “Euphoria” (4:38)
03. “Make Every Second Count” (4:08)
04. “Judgement Day” (4:49)

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Singles;

“Mentality Monster” (April 23, 2023) [#1]
“Euphoria” (May 28, 2023) [#1]
“Judgement Day” (August 6, 2023) [#2]

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Credits & Personnel;

CREDITS

Produced 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

PERSONNEL

Jadyn 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

Track: #02
Title: “Euphoria”
Genre(s): Hip-Hop, Rap, RnB
Length: 4:38
Label: Tric-Jam Records / Dahlhouse Entertainment
Writer(s): Jadyn Ghalen
Producer(s): Jadyn Ghalen, DeAndre Patton

The track begins with the sound of a soft drum beat and a rhythmic bassline, giving the song a soft and sensual feel to it to match it’s more reflective and emotive theme as Jadyn steps up to the microphone and delivers the opening verse of the song in a slightly slower paced offering which puts the track somewhere between RnB and Rap, “I can't help dreaming about her all day long/She got me thinking bout' catchin feels/I'm feelin' like a tortured soul in need of healin'/She's got me feelin' weak/You know I ain't one for cheap "I love you's"/Just to get you in my bed/Won't turn it on just to fuck you/Babe, I know you better than all ah dat.” which sets up the entire tone of the song, the lines being blurred between singing and rapping gives the track a much more romantic RnB feel which differs vastly to previous tracks that have featured Jadyn’s vocal delivery. He continues the rest of the opening verse in a similar way but with the drum and bassline increasing in tempo and Jadyn delivering his words at a slightly faster pace, “She ain't no stranger to the high life/She got em' competing in a prize fight/She ain't impressed by the bright lights/She too good for the compromise/I watch em' running back and forth tryna impress you/Deadbeats with no hope/No respect, no faith, no ambition, no revenue/We got them long talks, real shit, connection on a mental level/Arm in arm, side by side/Sparks flying on that physical attraction shit.” and the overall image of the song becomes fully formed as the opening verse finishes. The vocal delivery matching the musical backdrop which is a lot less high energy and a little more reigned in than you’d expect.

The energy does pick up slightly as the sound of the song becomes a little more fuller as the drum and bassline driving the song forward is now accompanied by the sound of electronic instrumentation which doesn’t overpower the song and just adds a slight pulse to the overall package, suggesting that there’s potentially a pulsating energy threatening to break out at any moment as the songs chorus comes in and Jadyn’ delivers a faster paced vocal delivery with a quick-fire chorus, “She got them street smarts/But she live that mansion life/She takes care of her business/Fuck a nine to five/Boss bitch is how they see her/Ain't no compromise/Got me feelin' all kinds of euphoria/When she lookin' directly into my eyes.” and with the songs chorus out of the way we have a fuller picture of the overall package with the verses delivering the emotional backdrop of the song and the chorus being the singalong almost anthemic hook that turns the track from reflective into an immediate earworm.
The songs bridge or post-chorus follows the pattern of the chorus, with its focus more on finding the connective space between its chorus and final verse, “I been gettin' shit from the boys/Cause we been hangin' all the god damn time/They say that I should fuck and go/Cause that's our fuckin' lifestyle/No commitment, no strings/We just want the shiny things.” which does it’s job in the sense that it has the catchy earworm element but adds another element to the songs theme or story and does it well to move the song back into the verse with the music slowing once more.

We’re back into verse territory as the more melodic and slower-paced drum and bass line move the track seamless back into more of an RnB territory from the chorus and bridges’ slightly more rapid-fire energy, the final verse serves an opportunity for Jadyn to truly stick the landing in terms of the songs general theme, it feels like it’s a track where he’s trying to convince the listener that there’s more layers to the free spirit personality we’ve seen play out in the media, he sounds sincere in his delivery as he once again blends between rap and soulful singing, “She don't wanna commit, and I get it/My history tells her more than my present/But I ain't just gonna fall in line, saying what she wants to hear/Just to get to where I wanna be with her/You know I ain't one for cheap "I love you's"/Just to get you in my bed/Won't turn it on just to fuck you/Babe, I know you better than all ah dat/She ain't no stranger to the high life/She got em' competing in a prize fight/She ain't impressed by the bright lights/She too good for the compromise.” and as the final verse comes to a close it feels like he’s delivered what he needs to deliver, with sincerity and truthfulness. The songs chorus and bridge come in once more in order to close out the song with a little more energy and ending things by highlighting the person that he’s singing about rather than himself.

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“Euphoria”

"I can't help dreaming about her all day long
She got me thinking bout' catchin feels
I'm feelin' like a tortured soul in need of healin'
She's got me feelin' weak
You know I ain't one for cheap "I love you's"
Just to get you in my bed
Won't turn it on just to fuck you
Babe, I know you better than all ah dat
She ain't no stranger to the high life
She got em' competing in a prize fight
She ain't impressed by the bright lights
She too good for the compromise
I watch em' running back and forth tryna impress you
Deadbeats with no hope
No respect, no faith, no ambition, no revenue
We got them long talks, real shit, connection on a mental level
Arm in arm, side by side
Sparks flying on that physical attraction shit

She got them street smarts
But she live that mansion life
She takes care of her business
Fuck a nine to five
Boss bitch is how they see her
Ain't no compromise
Got me feelin' all kinds of euphoria
When she lookin' directly into my eyes

I been gettin' shit from the boys
Cause we been hangin' all the god damn time
They say that I should fuck and go
Cause that's our fuckin' lifestyle
No commitment, no strings
We just want the shiny things

She don't wanna commit, and I get it
My history tells her more than my present
But I ain't just gonna fall in line, saying what she wants to hear
Just to get to where I wanna be with her
You know I ain't one for cheap "I love you's"
Just to get you in my bed
Won't turn it on just to fuck you
Babe, I know you better than all ah dat
She ain't no stranger to the high life
She got em' competing in a prize fight
She ain't impressed by the bright lights
She too good for the compromise

She got them street smarts
But she live that mansion life
She takes care of her business
Fuck a nine to five
Boss bitch is how they see her
Ain't no compromise
Got me feelin' all kinds of euphoria
When she lookin' directly into my eyes

I been gettin' shit from the boys
Cause we been hangin' all the god damn time
They say that I should fuck and go
Cause that's our fuckin' lifestyle
No commitment, no strings
We just want the shiny things"

Track: #04
Title: “Judgement Day”
Genre(s): Hip-Hop, Rap, RnB
Length: 4:49
Label: Tric-Jam Records / Dahlhouse Entertainment
Writer(s): Jadyn Ghalen
Producer(s): Jadyn Ghalen, DeAndre Patton

The song begins with its chorus, sung in a powerful church-like soul delivery from Fatima Amari, initially acapella during the first two lines before the sound of a piano adds a little moody aesthetic to the song as the vocal delivery and lyrical content set the tone for the track as Fatima sings, “We will remain/Even when all is said and done/When our final breath has been taken/They’ll continue to sing along/Even when all is said and done/We will remain/Long after our judgement day.” which gives a powerful and emotive opening to the song, a relative change up from both previous releases from Jadyn Ghalen “Mentality Monster” and “Euphoria”, once more showcasing his ability to add variety to his work and continually keep things fresh and interesting with every release. The decision to have Fatima deliver vocals to open the track and set the table already feels like a smart one.

The piano tone continues as the songs chorus finishes but a strong and aggressive beat can be heard in combination with the piano, taking away some of the softness and adding a little urgency to the songs track ahead of the opening verse from Jadyn, he gives the music a couple of moments to settle into things before he raps out his opening verse, “I can always hear the pressure coming/From every single corner/The judgement, the prying eyes wanting to see you fall from the skies/From the highest of heights/But I’m not into giving them the satisfaction/I’ve learnt the fine art of numbing/Blocking out all of the words coming from the outside/Just following my own path/Motherfucker on my very own vibe.” as he delivers lyrics that highlight the pressure to step out on your own and the constant judgement and discussion of every aspect of your life just because what you do happens to be in the spotlight, his vocal delivery is aggressive and assertive as if he’s defiantly standing center stage and taking all of the shots at him.
He continues throughout the verse, “I’m not afraid to cut ties/If you’re the anchor that’s weighing me down/I’m like the new blood, the contender to the heavyweight crown/Ready to shed those last few pounds/To get to my fighting weight/This is fighting talk/I’ve already learnt from the greats/Now it’s in my path that the next generation will walk/They say I’m all talk/The main problem in all situations/But put three ego’s in a room with different views/You’re gonna get differing opinions/And ya’ll can just keep the rumours spilling out into the social media feeds/Because I don’t mind being the one to give you the clicks that your little channel needs/I don’t break under the weight of pressure/I grow stronger and more determined than ever/You can call it ego/Cause I don’t really give a fuck/I’mma keep on grindin’/Till’ you can’t help but show a brother some love.” and with references to stories about fallouts within the ‘Orion’ camp and how he was often painted as the problem at the center of issues, he defiantly states that he’s willing to take that pressure, but will put the work in and create something that not only clears his name but proves his ability on his own.

The songs chorus comes through once again, with the aggressive rap beat removed to just the piano before the beat returns for another defiant and aggressive rap verse delivered from Jadyn, “They say we got some kind of beef/That I’ve been trying to split up from the pack/Everybody disagrees/It's part of life, that shit’s just facts/We still brothers, we just a family that keeps it real/We fight with each other/But there is no peace to be made on this deal/This is temporary/We just out here enjoying this shit/I know they come out in the press saying he’s just searching for a hit/I go where the money is/That’s all there is to any of this/You can get your artistic vision from your own solo shit/But I’mma be out here/Enjoying every second of opportunity that comes my way/I ain’t passing up on anything/You never know when this all goes away.” and with his final verse, he takes the opportunity to acknowledge the reported in-fighting and disagreements in his group, clarifying that they always fight and disagree with each other. He makes a note to reference the idea from Brayton “Bellows” Carter that Jadyn just searches for hits and money rather than looking to create something “important” or “creatively fulfilling” and accepts this, offering the retort that nobody knows how long this career will last so he is happy to grab every financial opportunity offered. It’s likely that this narrative comes from the NFL partnership that ‘Orion’ signed up to a couple of years ago that Jadyn pushed for and Brayton fought against.

With his final thoughts offered during his closing verse the songs chorus comes back in against the backdrop of the solitary piano to close out the song on a melodic and defiant note. Seemingly this track comes from a mind that wanted to offer his side to the story in some way with its references coming from some very real places of truth. It’s reported that ‘Orion’ are now recording their next album in the studio currently, so how the release of this track affects the relationship of the members of the group will remain to be seen. But it feels less like an attack on the other members of the group and more of a statement of intent and the path that Jadyn would prefer to walk down himself.

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“Judgement Day”

(chorus – Fatima Amari)

“We will remain
Even when all is said and done
When our final breath has been taken
They’ll continue to sing along
Even when all is said and done
We will remain
Long after our judgement day

I can always hear the pressure coming
From every single corner
The judgement, the prying eyes wanting to see you fall from the skies
From the highest of heights
But I’m not into giving them the satisfaction
I’ve learnt the fine art of numbing
Blocking out all of the words coming from the outside
Just following my own path
Motherfucker on my very own vibe
I’m not afraid to cut ties
If you’re the anchor that’s weighing me down
I’m like the new blood, the contender to the heavyweight crown
Ready to shed those last few pounds
To get to my fighting weight
This is fighting talk
I’ve already learnt from the greats
Now it’s in my path that the next generation will walk
They say I’m all talk
The main problem in all situations
But put three ego’s in a room with different views
You’re gonna get differing opinions
And ya’ll can just keep the rumours spilling out into the social media feeds
Because I don’t mind being the one to give you the clicks that your little channel needs
I don’t break under the weight of pressure
I grow stronger and more determined than ever
You can call it ego
Cause I don’t really give a fuck
I’mma keep on grindin’
Till’ you can’t help but show a brother some love

We will remain
Even when all is said and done
When our final breath has been taken
They’ll continue to sing along
Even when all is said and done
We will remain
Long after our judgement day

They say we got some kind of beef
That I’ve been trying to split up from the pack
Everybody disagrees
It's part of life, that shit’s just facts
We still brothers, we just a family that keeps it real
We fight with each other
But there is no peace to be made on this deal
This is temporary
We just out here enjoying this shit
I know they come out in the press saying he’s just searching for a hit
I go where the money is
That’s all there is to any of this
You can get your artistic vision from your own solo shit
But I’mma be out here
Enjoying every second of opportunity that comes my way
I ain’t passing up on anything
You never know when this all goes away

We will remain
Even when all is said and done
When our final breath has been taken
They’ll continue to sing along
Even when all is said and done
We will remain
Long after our judgement day”