VERVE MAGAZINE

View Original

the “inception” of chaise Williams’ reign

Image Sourced From @chaisewilliamsofficial_ / Instagram

Chaise Williams has been on our radar for what seems like forever, watching his energetic dance routines on his socials to listening to his stimulating music releases like “That One” alongside Lookatups, and many more.

We were eager to hear his newest EP, titled “Inception”. With a title like that came a mountain of anticipation. Even the album cover had us excited, with a portrait of the talented artist sitting in an empty theatre while holding a dancing ballerina box. Like, what did this all mean?

Cover art for "Inception"

The intro for the project was the perfect start for the project, with eerie instrumentals ringing over creepy piano notes, while Chaise raged over the instrumentals before the beat switch occurred, having a mellow instrumental commence while Chaise rapped his arse off, getting a lot off his chest. We were super impressed with his lyrical abilities.

The second track kicked off with “That One”, a track we really adore and previously covered earlier. You can check that article in our music category.

Flow Jones Jr. is such a vibe, and it was awesome to see him paired with Chaise, an artist whose levels of energy paralleled Flow. This track, titled “Did I”, had the duo speak about their need for more money, their exciting lifestyles, and what the definition of inception really is, even referencing the popular Leonardo DiCaprio film. It was fun to hear the two bounce off each other over a bumpy beat.

The next track, titled “Purpose”, decelerated the tempo of the project, having Chaise display his smooth vocals over an Afropop beat. The Capetonian virtuoso used this tune to reveal more of his intimate side, speaking on an adoration for a lover and how she’s truly worth it. The gifted Marcus Harvey also killed his verse, showcasing why he’s widely admired by the music world.

“Outta Here” was next up, and boy did we love this one. This song had Chaise have a sit down with his audience, unveiling his inner thoughts like how he’s far from retiring from the game and how nobody would convince him otherwise, his issues with his ex and overall, his “lady problems” in general, and how he enjoys beefing with others and wouldn’t recommend anybody try test him. Now obviously we aren’t sure how true these statements were but it’s dope to hear a meaner side of Chaise.

The following track “Heavy” was definitely the club banger of the project, with Chaise reuniting with Flow Jones Jr. The tune incorporated a Memphis Club beat with loud 808s ringing over menacing violin string instrumentals. This was our personal favourite tune off the album.

The closing track, titled “Need2know” was a beautiful ending for the album. Chaise used this final opportunity to explore his poignant side. This was a delightful heartbreak song that had Chaise expressing his true emotions with an estranged lover. You could hear through Chaise’s cadence how emotional this track was for him.

After listening to this album, we finally understood the whole concept of Chaise’s idea of an inception, having the prospect start off in one way , while gradually bouncing over different sounds (pertaining to his beat selection, his cadences, and flows), and ending it the way he did. It may have been confusing but it made complete sense in the end.

It was great to hear what the talented Cape Town musician could offer towards the scene. Not only is he a gifted dancer, but we are also now convinced he has what it takes to push his sound even further. A true entertainer in the making.

Check out the project, now available on major streaming platforms.

See this content in the original post