Aviel Ben Yamin is without doubt one of the more interesting rap artists in Portland. Both a rapper and a producer, Aviel has made a name for himself musically with a unwavering work ethic, scores of production credits, a slew of mini-projects and a knack for marketing. It’s also well-known that he can be a hot-head at times… but hey, if you can’t expect a little passion from a light-skinned artist, what can you really expect in life?
His new project, a 5-track EP, finds Aviel in an interesting place. Working with the FLVX collective for the last year or so seems to have put Aviel in his artistic element. The rapper showed out at the WOHM-sponsored SPLASH event back in February (for which Bausik Film Co came through with the clean recap video) and let it be known that he had a project on the way. So when I got a DM about the new album, I was expecting a crew heavy collaborative project, but that’s not at all what I got. I don’t mind surprises.
https://youtu.be/uMIl5dRG8po
Society is a solo venture; seriously, there are no guest verses or hooks, and Aviel even produced and sang on the commercially viable title track. “It’s difficult for me to rap on my own beats,” he admitted with a laugh, “even though every single one starts as creating a beat for myself.” The lyrical rapper has always done a great job mending eloquent bars with wavy production and this latest release adds a level of maturity to the mix, allowing his usual introspective writing style to flourish. The EP plays through like a series of diary entries and you can tell the young father and future husband is growing up fast. Weight On My Soul stands out as “the one” to me but the entirety of the short album – which can be fully consumed in under 10 minutes – flows well. Definitely worth the time so check it out.
My initial suspicions weren’t totally off though. Aviel noted that he does have an collaborative project coming out soon with creative powerhouse Packard Browne. I’m excited to see what the two wave-makers come up with. In the meantime, check out the latest from Aviel Ben Yamin. #OutHere