Latrell James – Twelve (Album)

After days of neglecting my submission inbox I took the time to sift through the stockpile of emails. While digging I unearthed a gem. The gem I found is Twelve, an album by Boston emcee, Latrell James. I could say it’s one of the most enjoyable, relatable, and thought out albums i’ve heard this year thus far. I could say Latrell’s concept built on the foundation of the number ’12’ is brilliant; being the harmony of the 12 items on the cover art personifying each story he tells from a 12 year time frame of his life across the 12 self-produced tracks on his tape. I could, but my words would still be short-lived to Latrell’s timeless explanation he provided below –

“Sometimes it can take a lifetime of trials and tribulations for a person to realize their true aspirations. For me, the maturation of my artistic journey can be experienced in a span of twelve years.

 With the release of my new project titled Twelve, I have chronicled my story through this personal collection which is self-produced alongside my brother Tedd Boyd. Following up a number of well-received singles such as “99 Altima” and “The Button”, I have worked tirelessly to provide a complete body of work which is powered by honest lyricism and smooth production.

Twelve is a representation of my life and the changes that occurred to me from age 12 to 24.  This project is my journey from adolescence to adulthood and the main theme throughout is growth. To me, if something is not growing then it is dead. So ultimately, I hope this piece will inspire people and help them through whatever struggles they are experiencing.”