From the introduction, “Now or Never- Intro” audiences are thrown right into the action with a soul-stirring piece that sees Jae Pierce breaking down the dynamics of life and the struggles and dangers he had to face in order to survive the game. This is followed by “Pray For Me,” a reflective track comprising cinematic sample chops with pounding bass-heavy drums. Here, Pierce goes into introspective mode by questioning his acts, and motives while seeking redemption. Lines like “Don’t you lead me astray/I need you to wait, I ran these streets faithfully/So gimme grace/I know its late for me/ but just in case have some faith in me“show remorse and highlight his humanity. In the soulful, “My Life” Pierce once again shares intimate and vivid details on his background. From the inner workings of the drug trade, chopping up and bagging bricks to his conscious reminding him to stay forthright, audiences get to see different sides of the same man. Other stand-out tracks include the celebratory/reflective “Fallen Angel” where Pierce finds his way out of the game and reflects on how he could have been another statistic with a tag on his toe and the anthemic “All Hunnids” where Pierce shows us the exquisite and luxurious lifestyle that his hustle gave him access to. Once again, he delivers a resounding and engaging performance ripe with lucid storytelling and expressive rhyme schemes.

The project’s concept is punctuated and threaded by a trilogy of interludes that use clips from the past. Examples are the “Public Enemy- Interlude” and “Water Gate-Interlude” which use the infamous speech by US President Richard Nixon in the 70s. The final track “The Oath- Outro” helps bring the story to a somewhat blissful ending with its soulful and solemn soundscape underpinned by Pierce’s insightful bars about the corrupt and dangerous environment that raised him.

OverallNow or Never, is a solid introductory project that will bring new fans closer to the rapper known as Jae Pierce. We get to see his rise, his mistakes, flaws and regrets all at once. This is exactly what makes it all endearing and relatable.