Roga Raph drops his We’ll See (EP) after teasing listeners with a handful of singles. The 7 track body of work is written and produced by the rapper himself and sees him questioning the status quo and tasks his listeners with pushing themselves to do better. It’s a fully hands-on and conceptual project where Roga is the primary narrator and protagonist who goes on a journey filled with reflection, introspection and self-growth.
“dontwannarun” is the opening track and it dives right into the subject of self-realization and taking steps to be better with each passing day. Production-wise, the soundscape has an ethereal and gloomy feel and the drums are punchy which also makes it bouncy. Here, Roga sets his mind on taking action instead of backing out as he asserts himself on the mantra-like chorus and implores listeners with lines like “Even outside, stay inside of the fence/Put your energy toward things that last/Put yourself first like every single day/Leave the world alone and you leave the same way”. “Seeing Thru” starts off with a vocal snippet from Jordan Peterson about the advantages of being truthful before switching into a sombre jazz piano-driven piece. Roga shares his thoughts on the daily struggles of minorities and how we deal with black issues in this modern era. He is mostly on the positive spectrum and gives listeners quite a bit to chew on.

“Up and Away” continues from the previous track and here we see Roga seeking the proverbial escape from the daily pressures of being black in a white world. Over an ominous soundscape, he pours out his true feelings using a screwed vocal effect (akin to what 2pac did in some of his posthumous songs) and prays for some sort of recourse from all the stress. “LevelUp” helps switch up the feel of the project with its bright jazzy textures and upbeat groovy drums. Here, Roga employs an energetic double time flow and video game-inspired lines like “Game over ,simple and plain/Trying to block it with a shield listen when the shots connect, it’s permanent no they don’t heal”. Just as the title suggests, it’s quite an aspiration-themed tune that focuses on levelling up to a higher stage. “Peace” sees Roga pontificating on world peace and how its true meaning seems to be lost in this modern era while “So it seems” showcases his off-kilter rap flow as he digs deep into how our immediate environment somehow limits us from experiencing life to the fullest.  Lines like  “I know it probably that it doesn’t now but one day yet it will all make sense/Moon travels through the sky if I ain’t know no better, I will too think I’m fly ” show that while he doesn’t have the answers to these questions, he still pushes on to gain more knowledge.

 

The final track  “We’ll See” is an aspirational and insightful piece that explores different facets of life from prioritizing the important things and finding inner strength to face the odds no matter how tough they get. The self-produced track has a sublime and soulful feel with its rich textures and smooth vocal samples underpinned by soft drum grooves and Roga’s intense and emotional performance. Lines like “Regardless of our efforts, all we can do is push forward and leave the rest up to the divine,” asserts Roga’s determination to stay focused and also a reminder to every one of us to give it our best and pray things work out according to the universe.

We’ll See is available now through all major digital retailers and streaming platforms through Raph’s own label, S.O.O.N.

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