UNCLE T "LATE BLOOMER" REVIEW

Like the saying says: “Better late than never.” That saying is fitting for the late-in-life emcee Uncle T. Hip-Hop gave Uncle T a second shot at success and notoriety in the fleeting moments of youth. Fire-thrower turned notable emcee/show host/ salt-making entrepreneur gives a gift back to Hip-Hop with a, by and large, polished debut album. “Late Bloomer” hosts supporting features from fellow big dawg emcees Ackronem, Dr. Ew, and Christopher Micheal Jensen. Much of the production comes from Ackronem and his homie/wizard/engineer/producer André Marriette. This album was recorded, mixed, and mastered at Andre’s rapidly growing and successful Timbral Studios. Uncle T curates an elegant and effective supporting cast to construct her first stamp in her freshly bloomed career.
Uncle T kicks things off with the up-tempo, but floating rhythmic sound and cadence in “Next Level.” This track is the opening statement to where Uncle T is at, and where’s she’s trying to get. She commands a tight grip on the instrumental as she proclaims, “Things are about to change.” And she says that in a cold, calculated style.
“Think About It” hosts and features Ackronem harmonizing with Uncle T on the hook and serves a verse as well. Uncle T and Ack sift through their sacrifices and their work ethic that, in turn, heightens their demons and shortcomings. But they contemplate the “bright side” of at least they’re not alone in this endeavor.
“Long Time” serves as a soft, dreamy ballad of longing for someone who seems to have disappeared. Uncle T serves a wavy vocal performance to reach out to someone who’s stained heavy in Uncle T’s mind. She professes her naivety in believing it was just phase, but reaches out tirelessly to grab a chance to see them again. Despite Uncle T’s understanding, someones distance might be more than what they lead off as she describes:

“Ignorant to think you were going through a phase/
Had plenty of time to change your ways.
The hardest bout it is you didn’t wanna change/
Hardest pill to swallow is we knew you weren’t okay.”

Dr. Ew appears in the fourth track, “Runnin’.” This joint serves as a temporary shift in sound with deeper and darker piano melodies. Dr. Ew kicks things off with a densely packed verse and tight vocal performance. Uncle T combines riding the beat effortlessly while bouncing off the melodies gracefully.
“World Blows,” the fifth track of the album, makes me think I’m about to listen to a b-side on Kendrick’s DAMN. This joint gives me an instant nostalgia trip to nearly three years ago when the same heaven-like synths marry low rumbling bass and meticulous hi hats. Uncle T lays out her plan to keep reaching and changing for the better until the ‘world blows’ up.
Uncle T provides yet another luxurious and lush vocal performance. I’ve seen Uncle T live countless times. I’ve always been aware of her skill for changing to a signing harmony opposed to a rap rhythm. It has been unsurprisingly effective, but I’m surprised at the volume she uses it throughout the album. Not only that, I’m surprised how she uses it throughout. With confident, smooth takes and a luscious mix with it, Uncle T’s vocal performance is a special treat on “Late Bloomer.”
Now the midway track, “Circles,” is the staple track of “Late Bloomer.” This heard-at-a-show-first track has been in this Uncle’s rotation for a minute. In fact, I believe this was the first track I’ve heard (at a show or recorded) from this album. So that goes without saying that this track is a catalyst, let’s say a first ‘bloom’ in the growth of what this project is on the day of its release. Uncle T offers wisdom in a free flowing melody. This track is a strong point during any of her live sets and a pivotal point in “Late Bloomer.”
The next two tracks “No Hands” and “Say Less” is my favorite stretch on the album. The pair of tracks are a veer off slightly from the staple sounds from the majority of the album. “No Hands” flip flops between a dark alley-cat boom bap joint to a trumpet-laced ballad as Uncle T switches up her style according to the beat change. “Say Less” hosts a beautifully crafted piano sampled heavy instrumental. The charming, distorted piano samples give me a reminiscence to the late Mac Miller. Uncle T matches the charisma of the instrumental spitting a choppy intro in overconfident attitude:

“I’ve never… met someone like me.”

Not only are these two tracks my favorite on the album, but “Say Less” has to be my favorite cut on the album. The swagger and charisma boasted by both Uncle T and the production along with the experimental detour of the sound make it stand out the most. And plus, I’m a sucker for a dope piano sample.
“So What,” provides a sort of a slow down to bring for the tail end of the album. Uncle T gives a sweet as sugar serenade over a bare bones guitar and sparse, wet drums. This track feels like a night cap for the album, lulling you into a trance accompanied by personal and introspective lyrical content. The many layers of Uncle T’s voice gives a thick, but spacious vocal mix that compliments the minimalistic and soothing instrumental.
The Grand Finale “Take 1 Take 2,” is an instant classic in my opinion. This was the second joint Uncle T revealed that would later be on this album. This song is one of my favorite songs to see live, period. The recorded version of this track is dope, but hearing it performed live takes it to another level. One of my favorite bars of the album resides in this track. Uncle T spits the bars quickly, but I think it encompasses the meaning behind “Late Bloomer” as she says:

“I’m on a mission of apathy remission.”

Alongside Uncle T, CMJ helps serve a classic emcee performance. Uncle T and CMJ cover the geography and lore of our Hip-Hop community. This track will be a notable track in our history of Twin Cities.
From slingin’ salt, to running round the live music circuit almost weekly, Uncle T shares the fruits of her labor. And although it’s a late harvest… once you listen, you’ll understand what I mean by “better late than never.”

I spoke with Uncle T over Factime earlier this week to talk about the album:

(MN) Origin Story?
(Uncle T) It sounds cliche to start with this. But I didn’t really fit in or feel like I was really good at anything [when I was younger.] Then I got info drugs in my early 20’s. I got really heavy into fire spinning, and performing with that. I did that for like 7 years until I hated it. Then I really wanted to pursue music, but fire spinning didn’t really give me the confidence I needed. But I used to write parody raps. We would write shit while we’re smoking weed, and I always thought I could be good at it. But I took a couple years off after I quite fire spinning. I went to a Soulja boy concert [one night.] I just thought, “Man this guy is killing it, but he’s not actually good.” And I felt like I had something to say. And I felt, after that night, that I was ready to make music. So I started writing my first song the next day. The next week i performed the song at an open mic and won a $100. And everything that’s happen since then has been telling me, “Oh yeah, keep going.”

(MN) So “Late Bloomer” was mixed and mastered at Timbral studios?
(Uncle T) Yeah, and recorded too. André is really talented. He definitely took it to the level I wanted to. He didn’t produce any of it, but he worked with me start to finish for it.

(MN) Who was on the production for the album?
(Uncle T) Ackronem primarily. There’s four songs he produced. Dr. Ew produced 2 songs. Kindyn Peters did the song me and CMJ did. James Adamiak produced a song on there too.

(MN) Favorite Track on the album?
(Uncle T) I would have to say is “World Blows.” It means a lot to me. And I already felt that feeling before this happened (pandemic and all that.) And it really encompasses the “Late Bloomer” theme. its about doing what you can, and that’s all you got.

(MN) What do you want fans to take away from the album?
(Uncle T) I guess my message is that there’s something inside in all of us, something greater. If you are willing to tap into it and discover yourself, and use whatever tools you’re using to progress yourself will make that shine brightly. Just simply growing through the process.
I just wanted to show everyone that this is the very best I can do. This is what trying my best looks like. This is blood sweat and tears. I wanted to wait till all the pieces fit. The album looks so different from the summer time. I know I wanted to do the album with André, but his studio was being built and kept getting pushed back. Then i got sick during the recording process. It was a process, and I gave every ounce I could give to it.

(MN) Wanna elaborate on the Quarantine mixtape?
(Uncle T) Yeah, I’m excited about that. It’s the beautiful thing about Hip-Hop it can encompass a feeling that your experiencing. I wanted to do something like that, so I thought it’d be dope if everyone can write about what’s going on. It’s really cool tobhear the submissions. There’s a a lot of cool samples from the news. There’s a couple comedy songs on there. It’s just so sick and so diverse and representative of the hip hop community. I think I have like 30 submissions which is really cool.

(MN) Favorite TC artists/ Influences?
(Uncle T) My favorite rapper from the Twin Cities has to be Baby Shell. Maria Isa too. The first time I saw her perform I was blown away. She showed what’s possible with where I can take my writing. She inspired me to sing more. And I sing on more than half of the album, which is a big step for me. But I’ve grown a lot in confidence about that.
Ackronem has been a big influence, especially on this album. He produced so much of it, and he believed in me. And he became a good friend in the process.

(MN) Favorite venue to play at?
(Uncle T) Icehouse for sure. The sound is the nicest of most venues I’ve played. Can Can has been a huge part of my success. Honey and Part Wolf are big ones for sure.

(MN) Crazy Show moment?
(Uncle T) the show we did at Icehouse [w/ LVNDSCVPES] last May. That was probably one of the favorite shows I’ve ever done. I was super sick. But I wasn’t gonna not perform. I felt like I was gonna puke on stage, but everyone was giving me love and their energy, so I just had the strength to finish. Then I killed it.

(MN) Dream tourmates?
(Uncle T) Just the homies really. Blimes and Gab. They’re female artists from California. It would be really dope to do something with them.

(MN) What state would be mandatory on your Tour?
(Uncle T) Not to sound Cliche, but California. We were gonna do some stuff in April there but all this stuff happened. Just anywhere really. I don’t like too many states actually. *laughs*

(MN) What would be on your Rider?
(Uncle T) If I could have anything on there, that would be sweet. Okay: I’d probably have coconut waters and kombucha cause that’s kind of boogie, but I don’t always wanna buy that kind of stuff. And probably... Tequila? Maybe some beer too.

(MN) Favorite Place to grab food/drink?
(Uncle T) The Sheridan Room, right by the 331 in Northeast (MPLS)

(MN) Day Jobs?
(Uncle T) I work with the homeless community. I’m a coordinated entry assessor. So if your’re homeless in Hennipen County, you’ll probably speak to me at some point. So I do gatekeeping for the county programs we have for the homeless.

Uncle T’s new Album is available on all streaming platforms today

Also: Check out her Side Hustle Salt website and buy some of that shit, cause it’s delicious: https://sidehustlesalt.com/

Review and interview by: Paul Thorson, Hip-Hop Writer @PaulyT03
Edited by: Andrew Perrizo, Owner @PlaylistTC