Local Spotlight | “Crying For Free” by Jahny Steel

Since dropping his 14-song opus, Mister 9, Duval hip-hop artist Jahny Steel has done little to dispel the notion that he is one of the most prolific and anomalous creatives in the 904. That is to say: He’s been doing the most. 

Riding the buzz of Mister 9, Steel’s followed up a slew of new songs (“Plate,” “Ice,” “Tea”) and a video for the relatively uptempo number “Run Forward,” with a haunting and contemplative new tune called “Crying For Free.” 

“Let it flow / I don’t want to see your tears no more,” Steel says in the tracks opening salvo, foreshadowing the song’s overriding lyrical themes of a struggling to find solace in the face of a culture that asks one to be both honest and guarded. In just over 90 seconds, Steel unfurls a ping-ponging inner monologue in quick bursts of erudition over a languid, soul-stirring mix of hovering atmospherics, a decayed pedal hi-hat and eerie tuned-down vocal samples. 

Watch the video for “Crying For Free” above and listen to the track on your preferred streaming platform below.