Koffee: “Gifted” Album Review
The title of this album is no joke— Koffee is indeed, gifted. From humble beginnings, Koffee has transcended into a global phenomenon that can’t be ignored, and in seemingly record time; she’s only 22 years of age, but I can already tell she’s going to go down as one of the most influential Caribbean artists of our generation. The Spanish Town Jamaica-born artist began her musical journey in the choir of her Seventh-Day-Adventist Church as an 8 year old, cemented her passion for music at age 14, and continued to improve her craft in the years to follow. A few pivotal moments during these early years, including winning her school talent show and gaining recognition online for her 2017 single “Legend” — a touching ode to Jamaican track star Usain Bolt, catapulted her to stardom. Flash forward a mere 3 years later, and Koffee becomes the youngest artist and first woman to win the Grammy for Best Reggae Album, for her 5 song EP Rapture. Rapture took the Reggae world by storm, with its danceable production and sharp, patois-heavy lyricism. It was this EP that sparked my interest in Koffee — specifically the song “Reggamuffin”, a speedy dancehall banger that features a teenage Koffee on a mission, critiquing the shortcomings of the Jamaican politicians with wit and bravado. The EP snaps its listener to attention, much like its title track might suggest: “Koffee come in like a rapture, and everybody get capture”.
Koffee’s feel-good rise to stardom provides us with a narrative that’s easy to root for, and Gifted takes full advantage, leaning into it headfirst. But instead of coming across as corny, Koffee’s authenticity and wisdom are revealed through her songwriting and confident delivery, elevating her music and message to levels of true profundity. The result is an upbeat and self-affirming record, pure and positive in its intent. Koffee explores a myriad of themes during the albums short 28 minute runtime, centered around a grounded appreciation for life, love, and the world around us. Safe to say, Gifted is nourishment for the soul.
The intro track “x10” brings this nourishment right out of the gate, as Koffee expresses a deep and unflinching gratitude for the things she has in life: “Couple prayers fi mi family, my friends, ah whoa yeah / Thank you, Father, for blessing me times ten, yeah ayy, mm yeah”. “x10” sets the tone for the rest of the record, both thematically and sonically. Its relaxed pace and gentle guitar accompaniment enable Koffee’s uplifting singing to stand out and form a lasting impression on the listener. Immediately, one can tell that Koffee is religious, made apparent by the track’s many references to “Jah” (the Rastafarian name of God). Conversations and prayers to God are reoccurring throughout the album, featured on songs like “Shine” and “Gifted”. Having grown up as a Seventh-Day Adventist, Koffee’s personality and worldview have been heavily influenced by Christianity. But unlike so many others, she isn’t disillusioned by the Church but strengthened by it, which shows in the almost spiritual quality her music possesses.
Throughout this album, Koffee’s gratitude is paired with an undeniable confidence. On the albums title track “Gifted”, a bouncy yet contemplative song accentuated by rhythmic, chanting backing vocals, Koffee reflects: “I have life, I’m blessed, yeah yeah / I’m guided and gifted, yeah”. This humble confidence reveals itself in subtle ways throughout the record; on the same songs in which she praises God and thanks her mother (one of Koffee’s biggest inspirations), she’ll also rap about sporting designer clothing and Patek Phillipee watches. Hip hop’s influence on the young artist is seen everywhere on Gifted. The track “West Indies” finds Koffee flowing over wavy production with clever bars and gusto: “Coming from the West Indies / And you know say we giving them the best indeed / Anywhere we there, we do a flex ‘pon street.” Koffee’s lyrical skill is undeniable, with a cadence and ability to flow that rivals most of the top rappers in the game currently. Perhaps this shouldn’t be too surprising, considering the fact that Koffee takes inspiration from the rich music scene out of the UK.
Throughout Gifted Koffee takes time to explore a newer territory for her: love. On “Lonely”, she delicately approaches a romantic interest hesitant to pursue a relationship with her: “I know it’s hard to trust sometimes, but it’s harder to be lonely, yeah / So would you rather to be lonely?” The multi-faceted track fuses elements of Soul and R&B on top of its dancehall foundation, the musical equivalent of butterflies in your stomach after talking to a crush. Tracks like “Lonely” and “Lockdown” are evidence of an expansion in Koffee’s range, leaving me hungry for more lovers rock to groove to.
As a debut full-length album, Gifted fires on all cylinders. Its length leaves us feeling simultaneously content and unsatisfied, its message consistent and unflinching, its sound sunny and multifaceted (one of the reasons it makes a perfect gateway record into the world of Reggae). As Summer’s warm embrace approaches, it feels fitting to have this record in my rotation for the months to come.
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