Within the ever-expanding mosaic of today’s rap landscape, Marlon Craft stands as a symbol of the genre’s golden years. A testament to the enduring power of his lyrical prowess. His latest mixtape, HOMECOURT ADVANTAGE, Vol 2, is a sequel that not only builds on the foundation laid by its predecessor but also ascends to new heights of quality.
Craft, a 30-year-old hailing from New York City, carves his path through the realm of penmanship, delivery, and bars. Spanning 11 tracks and just under 30 minutes, HOMECOURT ADVANTAGE, Vol 2 invites listeners where Craft’s skills take center stage.
Cover Art For Craft’s Latest Mixtape
An independent juggernaut within the underbelly of east-coast hip-hop, Marlon Craft has carved quite the audience for himself. He currently boasts over 2 and a half million monthly Spotify listeners as an indication of his homegrown success. Craft’s palpable love for the sport of basketball courses through the veins of HOMECOURT ADVANTAGE, Vol 2. Most tracks reference his beloved New York Knicks, name-dropping players like Julius Randle and Immanuel Quickley. Still, the very essence of streetball and neighborhood hoops permeates his sonic tapestry. It’s a kinship that feels earned, given Craft’s roots in South Bronx AAU basketball during his youth.
In my estimation, Craft’s artistic evolution has been a steady climb. Compared to its predecessor, HOMECOURT ADVANTAGE Vol, 2 exhibits a heightened layer of nuance, reflecting Craft’s maturation as an artist. Anchored by the production of Arbus and HAQQ, the mixtape displays a boom-bap-inspired soundscape punctuated by resounding keys and breakbeat-infused percussion. Even the album’s cover artwork, a striking homage to the NBA Street video game series from the mid-2000s, unfurls like a canvas of innovation and inspiration.
The mixtape’s mesmerizing opening track, “THE ANSWER,” is a prime example of Craft’s lyrical dominance. As a piano dances with a moaning saxophone, Craft embarks on a journey of poetic supremacy. Within this intro, Craft asserts his place in rap. Lines like “Used to say I wanna do arenas, but I’ve long since left that as my MO/Like I still do, but not at the expense of my concepts / Big boss, y’all better pay y’all rent / You know I fuck with consent, but fuck a message that a con sent, my shit is God-sent” exemplify the engaging blend of internal rhyme schemes and substantive content that Craft weaves effortlessly.
Listen To HOMECOURT ADVANTAGE Vol, 2 Here
One standout gem within the tracklist is the tantalizing “TOO YOUNG,” where a dreamy soul sample intertwines with commanding drums. Craft fortifies his claim to rap’s elite, underlined by a double entendre involving Knicks bench guard Immanuel Quickley. “It’s been a long road, now I could write a manual (Immanuel) quickly/To show you how to come off the bench and be a man of the city…My petty is polished, my flow handsome and gritty,” Craft proclaims. Basically, this intersection between his lyrical dexterity and his love for basketball makes for a compelling listen.
Although Craft doesn’t reinvent the wheel on this project, he etches his mark through a prism of talent and sheer charisma. It’s evident that Marlon has ventured beyond the frontiers of his prior works, sculpting a fantastic mixtape. HOMECOURT ADVANTAGE, Vol 2 stands as a testament to Craft’s evolution as an artist and his commitment to honing his, well, craft.
