LA-based Southern MD rapper/songwriter Parris LaVon‘s new EP CRY 4 C4NCER, is the follow-up to his PR4Y 4 PISCE$, which was released earlier this year. The 4-track project is a short but dense exploration into topics of grief, loss, growth and the power of human resilience.

The project’s opening track, “FREE,” is an uplifting and aspirational track that explores the concept of freedom from anchors and past struggles. The production has a cinematic and urgent feel, and it fits LaVon’s fusion of rapid flows laced with melodic elements. Here, he takes listeners into his world and details his struggles and eventual triumph through the hurdles. Lines like “I never have my back to the ropes, ama punch em like Liston/I use my grind to back all my wishes, it’s back to the mission/All my trouble stacking like tetris/I’m actually stressing/I used to text my mom’s before breakfast, the thought is depressing” underpin his heartfelt story in a relatable manner. The second track starts with a scenic guitar lick that grows into a soul-stirring piece ripe with soft soothing keys and mellow pads. LaVon wastes little time and throws us right in the mix with his blend of insight, bravado and reflection. The lyric-dense track is a masterclass in lyricism, laced with personal stories, and we get to see a different side to LVon’s artistry. Armed with his laidback flow, he paints graphic images with lines like “You flexing for social media then you ghost when I’m meeting ya/I see you threading the needle the image ain’t what it seems/save me triple double, making a place for the team, I feel like a bitch in love cause I just can’t wait for the rings/I’m painting a vivid picture, I’m in LA with the clippers/I guess I’m facing these demons till my face is on your screen” which solidifies the third entry in the series. The track is pure, unadulterated bars with no hooks, so listeners are drawn into his space from start to finish. The project moves into another sphere with “Chasin(Ghosts),” a moody piece that digs deep into his actions and lifestyle and how it affects people around him. Over an atmospheric soundscape ripe with gloomy pads and mellow keys with sparse drum grooves, LaVon acknowledges his flaws and takes accountability as he makes steps to correct them. Here, he uses quite a lot of autotune on his vocals, but I dare say it’s not the least distracting from the topic at hand.

The final track, “Dive In The Water,” helps bring CRY 4 C4NCER to a close. It ends on a solemn note and continues where the previous track left off. The track is as profound as it gets and sees LaVon in his element as he goes into introspection mode. He runs through the past through to the present and the never ending struggles that keep weighing on his shoulders. Lyrically, LaVon doesn’t hold back and proceeds with a fusion of energetic flows backed by engaging heartfelt lyrics like “You probably find me with a knife like I’m cooking an order/Heard he said it’s on sight, I guess his vision’s distorted/When business’s in order/all my brothers with me flipping more than just quarters/I might cross the border back and forth like I’m deported.” He also explores the concept of success and isolation and the deeper effects it has on one’s relationship.

Overall, CRY 4 C4NCER is another brilliant effort and addition to Parris LaVon’s EP series and continues to show his growth as an artist.

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