Last Friday saw the release of Jon Batiste’s new album, World Music Radio, and on it was a New Orleans anthem entitled, “Uneasy” featuring Hip-Hop legend and fellow Louisiana native, Lil Wayne. Jon Batiste is a music titan of his own, having worked with Stevie Wonder, Prince, Trent Reznor, Lenny Kravitz, and Ed Sheeran, and not to mention his several Grammys, Academy Awards, etc. The all-star list doesn’t end there, with production credits from Pop music mainstay, Jon Bellion, who not only has a growing list of his own hit songs, but has written and produced hits for Maroon 5, Halsey, Eminem, Rihanna, etc. With such a stellar cast of musical prowess, it only makes rational sense that these gentlemen would craft a masterpiece of a song. “Uneasy” can only be described as such. 

I tend to gravitate towards the lyrical content of songs. Oftentimes, I’m someone who values what an artist is saying and how they’re saying it, over the musicality of that song. Though this song is far from lacking in lyrical and conceptual depth, the highlight of “Uneasy” for me, is the production. “Uneasy” just feels like an anthem. From the other tracks I’ve heard off of this record, such as “Drink Water”, anthemic-scale songs seem to be a common thread. Jon described the album as the listener being guided around the world at the speed of light. In that regard, it’s safe to say, “Uneasy” takes us to New Orleans. Lil Wayne being a New Orleans native and Jon Batiste having roots there as well, leads into a colossal song seemingly about the beauty in the chaos of the city. The track opens up with a motif reminiscent of scat singing, further embellishing the New Orleans culture. Scat singing was popularized by Louis Armstrong who was, you guessed it, from New Orleans. I love this detail and I wouldn't be surprised if this was a recurring trait in Jon Batiste’s music. From there, the listener is blessed with Jon’s celestial falsetto. His vocal presence on this song is potent and powerful. He radiates the spotlight in a way that screams, “I was born to do this.” After Jon’s voice, accompanied by a slick bassline warms the listener up, the drums drop into the song with a superhero landing. The drums are clunky and thick, with a punch that can only be captured by properly tailored live kicks, snares, and rolls. With the assistance of some synthesized percussion, such as the robotic beep that follows every other snare, the drum pattern is by far one of my favorite aspects of the song. Following a well-performed verse in which Jon makes references to historical and cultural figures such as Michel de Nostredame, Malcolm X, and Marvin Gaye, as well as nodding to America’s divisive and corrupt political landscape, the listener is gracefully carried into the hook. This is where the song becomes otherworldly. The hook can only be described as electric. It’ll send shivers down your spine and make you smile from ear to ear. Jon’s melodies and vocal delivery, the harmonies brought on by background vocals, and stellar mixing such as delicately tailored stereo delay, transform the hook into something Sisyphus would scream if he ever made it to the top of the hill. 

Following the second verse and another remarkable hook, Lil Wayne comes in with an absolutely astonishing feature. In my reviews I’ve made mention of several rappers who are the embodiment of longevity. Lil Wayne is another name that hasn’t just earned placement on that list, but in many ways, IS that list. Wayne has two decades in Hip-Hop and still raps as if he’s in his prime. This verse is saturated with well-articulated rhyme schemes, great wordplay, and one-liners that make you punch the air. Among my favorite lines is, “Mama used to scream at me and take me off that scenery / I been about a bag 'cause all I wanted was to be a G” (B-A-G). If that line didn’t make your face scrunch up, then maybe this one liner will, “That's that New Orleans in me, I come from where the demons be / The dungeons and the dragons, I just asked them not to breathe on me.” Wayne’s immaculate verse isn’t his only contribution to the track. Following his feature, he plays a well-textured and fun guitar solo, as the track journeys through its nearly two minute outro. In the second half of Wayne’s verse, heavy and skillful piano keys join the track, and stay with it until its ceremonious end. I assume Batiste is on the keys but whoever it is, is killing it. They bring a different energy and atmosphere to the track, further digging the song’s roots in New Orleans musical culture. Every inch of this track was crafted with love and care for New Orleans and the music that was born from it. 

This week has offered listeners some fantastic music, “Uneasy” being one of my favorite tracks I’ve heard in a while. It is jumping with life, colors, and culture. “Uneasy” is infectious, undeniable, and extremely well-made. I applaud all those who worked on the track, including producers, Pete Nappi and Tenroc. Everyone brought their all to this song and it shows. I look forward to digging into World Music Radio and being taken around the world at lightspeed. If you’re interested in that journey as well, World Music Radio is available everywhere. 

Author: Jordan

Jordan Wisniewski is a passionate writer and Hip-Hop artist from North Carolina, US.