Emerging rapper Mocity Jones’s latest release Sand City is a fourteen-track conceptual collaborative project with producer Sand Raptor. Inspired by similar rapper/producer projects from the likes of MF DOOM/Madlib, and the experimenatl and off-kilter aesthetics of Deltron 3030, Mocity Jones and Sand Raptor step into a similar arena with this project. The concept is based on a humanoid velociraptor named Raptor Jones (a portmanteau of producer, sand raptor, and the rapper MoCity Jones names) who is revived from 80 million years of sleep into the 21st-century in the dystopian Sand City. There, he has to figure out his way and make his bones as a rapper in a cold, unforgiving world where hip-hop as a culture and art form has been banned.

“Intro” opens up the project and introduces us to the eponymous character, who wakes up in a daze and sets about trying to uncover his past while taking in the changes in the present. “Welcome to Sand City” is a vivid and detailed showcase of lyricla proficiency with lines like “Breaking out the claws, when it come to my sound, going Animatronic jaws meaning I’ma break it down/With the waves underground, Earthquakes till your dirt breaks” echoing Raptor Jones’ rap sensibilities. The track also serves as a tour guide of some sort by bringing us closer to this brooding city. “The Count” continues on the strength of Raptor Jones traversing the city with his skill and taking potential opponents to the cleaners. This is followed by “Interlude,” where a narrator explains the recent happenings in Sand City with Raptor Jones causing a stir by bringing together various rappers and producers to a place called the Sand Pit.

It should be noted that the project is anchored on a progressing story with Raptor Jones as the main character, rapping his way through obstacles and whatnot. On production duties, Sand Raptor crafts cinematic soundscapes that add colour and emotive motifs to the story. Tracks like “Wanna Control Me,” “On Yall Pavement,” and “Doobie Cruising” take listeners on a ride as we see Raptor Jones rise to the top of the pile with his verbal proficiency, celebrates his wins, reminding us he came out of nothing to become the best and regardless of the struggles he can still have fun. The real fun starts in “The Sand Pit,” where a rap battle takes place in downtown Sand City. Here, Raptor Jones steps into the proverbial ring and goes against several no-talent rappers. The kicker here is Mocity Jones playing dual roles and switching his voices to fit the scene. Overall, the track is entertaining and, most importantly, helps set the tone for what is to come. In “Interlude 2” when the announcer sends out an APB to the public about Raptor Jones, things go a bit left for the humanoid rapper as he has to find new ways to survive.  The following tracks, “JONES,” and “Dopeness” see a reflective Raptor Jones sharing powerful bars on what real rap should sound like. He sounds super confident and doesn’t hold back his thoughts even though he is putting his life on the line for the culture. “Open World Experience” dives into introspective and insightful themes around life changes, internal struggles and the realization that one man can’t do it all. The solemn note continues with “A Butterfly,” where Raptor Jones looks back on his life, and paranoia sets in as he reflects on death and time a sit gradually changes his outlook. The final track, “Outro” has a playful soundscape with bright keys and punchy drum breaks underpinned by obscure vocal samples and thought-provoking raps that tackle the powers that be. Lines like “Plenty of propaganda to pacify the people/Taking out the fight and making hiphop illegal/Fans of emcees turn scavenger like a seagull and good politicians had to embrace the evil” underpin the gloomy political landscape in Sand City and unfortunately shows no respite in view as things remain the same.

As a concept track, Sand City is quite ambitious and gets praise for sticking to the script. The story is cohesive and easy to follow while Mocity Jones’ knack for penning engaging bars and his story telling gets the job done. On the other hand, Sand Raptor crafts mostly serviceable and customized beats to fit the mood of the track and the progressiveness of the story.