A reformed-convict-turned-rapper tale is nothing new, but
it’s crucial to Maino's story. If his debut album, If Tomorrow
Comes, is any indication, penitentiary life is vital to Maino’s identity. Prison played such an integral part
in shaping the Brooklyn native that he’s figuratively trapped behind bars years
after being released. It’s a daily battle to break free from jail’s effects and
create a new life.
Maino spent much of his
early adult years in New York lock-up, but his music gives the impression of a
different regional affiliation. His punching delivery and beat selection often
shares more with the southeast than East New York, which gives If Tomorrow Comes a pronounced southern influence.
However, the album’s greatest contributing force is the iron gate that kept
Maino detached from his known worlds – both
from the inside and outside. "Runaway Slave" addresses the issue head-on with
the aid of a mournful melody as Maino struggles
to adjust to post-prison life. The pressure even leads to him morbidly saying he
could, “Die before my niggas come home from they bids / Die
before I truly learn how to really live…How they gon’ remember me? What’ll be my
legacy / How they gon’ talk about me when they pour that Hennessey?”
Concern and reflections of prison are peppered throughout If Tomorrow Comes, but the hard luck hustler theme also has
its victorious moments. Maino smiles at
naysayers on the now well-worn “Hi-Hater” and then turns to Just Blaze and
T-Pain
to make “All the Above” a tale of rising from nothing. “Remember My Name” is less
inspirational but similar in its message of overcoming adversity. A glorious
keyboard beat from Dangerous, LLC sways through
the speakers as Maino brags that he has “The face of an angel, the heart of a lion / Champion spirit
blessed with the will of surviving.”
Maino often raps in an
authentic tone that reveals he has weathered several storms. However authentic
that voice may be, it isn’t always enjoyable. His verses are structured and
delivered in a uniform manner that grows slightly tiring by the time “Soldier”
and its whimpering military drum taps appear. While
Maino can be lyrically poignant at certain moments, he’s predictable
and boring during several others. His performance on the J.U.S.T.I.C.E. League-produced sexplay song “Let’s Make
A Movie” is
understandably straight-forward, but the anti-baby-mama “Kill You” is disappointingly underwhelming. One might think that a
relationship troubled enough to contemplate murder would spark deeper thoughts,
but the song is heavy on anger and light on depth.
If Tomorrow Comes rarely escapes
from familiar zones: suffer in prison, hustle on the block, and celebrate life
seem to be the only relevant themes. Luckily, Maino manages to salvage a decent debut thanks to his
magnetism and catchy singles. He’s far from the first artist to skate by on
charisma and crafty beat placement, but his personable nature and genuine
flashes of talent free If Tomorrow Comes from some –
but not all – of its shortcomings.
