Jazz Cartier has been the most consistently mysterious and unpredictable figure in music since his collection of 2014 singles made a lasting impression on the global hip-hop community. It was at that time, not coincidentally parallel to the early years of Toronto’s vast hip-hop explosion, that the world first fell in love with the Canadian artist. But since then, his tendency for perfectionism and an impossible schedule packed full of high-energy performances uncommon in even the most progressive of scenes, has kept his releases few and far between, and his public communication rather limited.
From the long-awaited and much-discussed release of his sophomore album, Fleurever, to the unpredictable drops of violently bold and innovative singles, there’s simply no way of knowing what punch is coming next from Cartier, and when it’s going to suddenly hit us.
The latest hook to blindside our eardrums is the brutally addictive, Right Now. Again, proving Jazz Cartier as one of the most explosive and intriguing rappers alive, Right Now is a particularly high-energy track – a remarkable statement when dealing with Cartier’s record – that takes the modern trend for repetitive and head-banging choruses, and builds upon it a set of vocally-supplemented and lyrically-endowed verses the likes of which only a veteran songwriter could blend into the hype.
With the aid of KTOE’s production genius, the song takes on an identity that a range of hip-hop royalty from Travis Scott to Sean Leon would be proud of. The only question is, when is there going to be more of it?