As Milwaukee’s Hip Hop scene continues to grow and thrive, more and more artists are popping up with a sound and style that totally stands out. Milwaukee may be mainly known at this point for the Slap music that was made popular for J.P., 414bigfrank, Myaap, and others, but its Hip Hop scene really does go way beyond that style of music. The more you dive into the Milwaukee Hip Hop scene, the more you will find artists cultivating sounds that are entirely separate from anything you would expect. I am constantly being exposed to up-and-coming artists in this city who stand out for how individualistic they are, and it is honestly so awesome to see. A Milwaukee Hip Hop artist who has been making waves recently and deserves a shout-out is MKE Neely. To this point, I have mainly seen him pop up as a producer for other great Hip Hop artists around the city. Over the last couple of years, he has made instrumentals for many of the great Milwaukee artists on the rise right now; Tombo, AyooLii, and Daaark, to name a few. Recently, MKE Neely decided to drop a solo project, titled Always See You Later. Below, I wanted to give some of my thoughts on this project from MKE Neely. Please let me know in the comments below how you feel about MKE Neely’s Always See You Later, and also comment the names of any other up-and-coming or local artists you think I should check out!
MKE Neely gets Always See You Later going on a pretty relaxed yet melancholy note with ‘if i told you.’ This song has a very calm feeling to it. The beat is slow and tranquil, and the melody feels the same way. This melody is driven by a groovy keyboard riff complemented by some twinkling synths that come in and out. Even though this melody is pretty light and nice, there is something about it that makes it feel a bit somber. MKE Neely’s vocals are just as relaxed as the instrumental. His vocals fit the style of melody super nicely, and make this song feel super breezy. On ‘if i told you,’ MKE Neely talks about how the world has been getting him down and how the people around him do not know about the negativity he feels. ‘blank page’ has a pretty similar sound and feeling to the opening track. The beat for this one is a little quicker and more pushy, though, and the melody has a bit of an anxious quality to it. This melody is provided by a groovy guitar riff this time instead of a keyboard. The guitar riff on ‘blank page’ gives it texture and makes the song feel like it surrounds me when I listen to it. MKE Neely raps with a bit more emphasis on this track. His flow is a bit quicker, and his tone is a bit more aggressive. On ‘blank page,’ MKE Neely raps about trying to keep moving forward and not let the bad moments get him down. ‘pick it up,’ which features Tombo, has a way heavier and bold song than the first two tracks. This melody is all over the place in the best way. The amount of reverb on the guitar riff and synths that drive this track gives it such an interesting and cool texture. This melody literally makes me feel like I am on a cloud when I listen to it. The beat for this track is pretty big and pretty weird. There are a variety of sound effects that make it feel super glitchy, and the way the bass pounds makes it feel larger than life. MKE Neely and Tombo’s vocals mesh super well on ‘pick it up.’ The lower and raspy tone that Tombo raps with gives the song power, and the more laid-back tone from MKE Neely softens things up. On ‘pick it up,’ MKE Neely and Tombo rap about trying to take things to the next level with their significant other, but will not let this person get in the way of their goals. ‘finna win’ sees MKE Neely up the tempo and energy a bit. Everything about this one feels more lively than the tracks that precede it. For one, the melody is pretty quirky and intricate. The tone of the guitar riff(which has a good amount of distortion on it) has a pretty psychedelic and funky feeling to it, and the tone of the piano riff is pretty quirky and intrepid. This piano riff has a bit of an anime fight scene feeling to it, which makes the song pop. The beat for ‘finna win’ has a quick and jumpy feeling to it; its convoluted nature fits so nicely with the melody. MKE Neely raps with a faster and a bit more forceful a flow, matching the energy of the instrumental very well. On ‘finna win,’ MKE Neely raps about how he is not going to let anything or anyone get in the way of what he wants.
‘watch this,’ which features Mudy, feels like a cross between the slightly more forceful energy of the last track and the more relaxed nature of the first couple of tracks. The melody for this one has a Tropical feeling that I dig a lot. The guitar riff that drives this one has such a balmy tone and makes me think of walking on the beach on a sunny morning. The vocals from MKE Neely and Mudy are very nice, but Mudy especially stands out. The way her dainty tone contrasts with the slightly more harsh delivery we get from MKE Neely gives the track a texture that is very cool. On ‘watch this,’ MKE Neely and Mudy rap about how determined they are to reach their goals, and how they want to prove everyone who does not believe in them wrong. ‘better taste,’ which features tommy electra, somehow sounds retro and fresh at the same time. The melody for this track has a tone that makes me think of 1990s or early 2000s R&B. The twinkling synths that drive this one have a Y2K feeling to them. The way this melody and the way the beat are mixed, though, almost make the song feel ultramodern. This beat is very glitchy and the track is riddled with sound effects that almost transport me to a different dimension when I listen to it. The vocals on ‘better taste’ are solid, but I have to say the main focus of this track is its strange instrumental. The vocals do not take anything away from the track, but I will not lie and say they add a ton to it either. On ‘better taste,’ MKE Neely and tommy electra talk about how they know they are ahead of the curve when it comes to the creation of their music, and how they know the sounds they make get people dancing and giddy. ‘dat ain’t love,’ which features 2hi, is a zany take on the R&B Trap music that has become very big over the last couple of years. Like the last track, the melody for this one sounds like straight out of the 1990s. The piano riff that drives this one is so reminiscent of artists like Mariah Carey or Brandy; it gives a sense of nostalgia that is super enjoyable. The beat for this one has a pretty quick and hard-hitting Trap tempo, but it is filled with glitchy sound effects and slight tempo changes that keeps the listener on their toes and makes it stand out. The way that MKE Neely and 2hi’s vocals go together on this track is pretty cool. MKE Neely raps with a bit more of a raspy and in-your-face flow and tone, while 2hi goes with a faded and grainy delivery that gives the song an ethereal energy. On ‘dat ain’t love,’ MKE Neely and 2hi call out people in their lives who pretend to support and love them but actually just want something from them. ‘hello kitty molly,’ which features Tombo, is probably the strangest song on the record to this point. To be honest, it is kind of difficult to even describe this track. The melody for this track is super sweet, but the way it is so faded into the background almost makes it feel apprehensive. The beat for this track has an off-center Slap music tempo to it that hits hard and feels soft at the same time, which is pretty strange and cool. The drums sound like they are being played by someone banging on some bleachers, which gives the song a real schoolyard feeling. There are also some clicking sounds that come in and out that add to the outlandish feeling of this track. MKE Neely’s vocals on this one are solid, but Tombo takes the cake on this one. His slurry and slushy delivery sit on this beat and melody in a way that makes them really pop and adds to the eccentric nature of the track. On ‘hello kitty molly,’ MKE Neely and Tombo rap about being on cloud nine because of how faded they are.
‘off instinct’ is a track that combines some of the elements we have gotten throughout the project in a cool manner. This track has a melody driven by a guitar riff that definitely has a 1990s R&B feel, but this guitar riff is complemented by synths that sound like they came from outer space. This gives ‘off instinct’ a sound that is so atmospheric and floaty. The beat for this one has a pretty quick and off-kilter Slap music tempo that pounds hard. It contrasts the melody in a way that makes this song really pop. MKE Neely’s vocals flow on this one is quick, but his tone is soft. He matches the energy of the melody with his tone and the energy of the beat with his flow. On ‘off instinct,’ MKE Neely raps about a new person that he is into, asserting himself as the man and making sure this person knows he is the one they should be with. ‘posted up,’ which features iBn Farmacia and Tombo, is one of the slower and more deliberate songs of the project. It has the kind of tempo that we got on the first few tracks, but hits way harder and feels way heavier than the first several songs on the album. The melody for this track is super warm and hazy. The tone of the guitar riff that drives this one sort of makes me think of a desert. It feels hot and refreshing, but there is something about it that is a bit harsh. The harshness in the melody is certainly matched by the beat. The distorted, off-tempo Trap beat absolutely bangs. The way the drums pound and the way the sound effects come from all over the place make ‘posted up’ feel super all-encompassing. All of the vocals on this track are super interesting and add something special to the track. Each artist has a tone and flow that is distinctive from each others and hits the instrumental in a way that is quirky in the best way. On ‘posted up,’ MKE Neely and his features talk about how they are popping and on the way up. They know that they are awesome, and want everyone around them to acknowledge it. ‘live for,’ which features ThatGuyEli, is another track with a big and outlandish sound. The melody for this one is very cozy and ethereal. It has an atmospheric and sultry sound that makes me want to get faded all day at the beach or at the park on a hot summer day. The beat on this one is pretty tough to pinpoint. Its tempo sits in between Trap music and Slap music. It’s pretty wild and vibrant, making this song feel larger than life. The vocals on ‘live for’ are just as outlandish as the instrumental. The vocals certainly match the raucous energy of the instrumental and make this song feel huge and captivating. On ‘live for,’ MKE Neely and ThatGuyEli talk about falling in love and letting themselves enjoy their lives, all while being wary of those people who want to bring them down. ‘live for’ is a giant, energetic way to conclude this project, and it sends things out on a rowdy, positive note.
Based on the variety of instrumental styles I have heard from MKE Neely when he has produced for other artists, I figured that his solo project could go in many different directions. I was pretty spot on when it comes to that assessment, as Always See You Later does go all over the place when it comes to its sound. I will say that there is a general underlying theme when it comes to the melodies on this track. For the most part, everything is very warm and very funky. There is a sense of light and favorableness when it comes to the melodies on this record, and they can put pretty much anyone in a good mood. The beat styles on Always See You Later are all over the place(in the best way) though. You can not put MKE Neely in a box, as it seems like he can do anything when it comes to his beats. If you want big, bold, and fast, he has got you; if you want soft and slow, he has got you. Some beats absolutely bang, and others that are quaint. The vocals on this project are great as well. MKE Neely proves that he is a worthy rapper in his own right, and all of his features kill it as well. I know I did not dive into the lyricism much, but it is worth paying attention to. Throughout this project, MKE Neely and his features deliver many enticing bars, and they have a lot to say for sure. Overall, Always See You Later is a high-quality project where MKE Neely not only shows his producing chops but also proves he is a worthy rapper as well. I am excited to see where he goes from here, as it is apparent he has a ton of potential as a producer and a solo artist.
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