Poetic Prowess

Hailing from Chicago’s west side, Mykele Deville is a role model for the youth. Dissecting the topics of gun violence, political turmoil and institutionalized racism, Deville raps with poignancy and urgency that young emcees should aspire to achieve. With his help, they may be able to do just this. Deville often works with at-risk youth in Chicago schools. He teaches them the ins and outs of being an exceptional musician and lyricist. Getting kids excited about hip-hop and literature, Deville is not just doing his job as a hip-hop enthusiast, but he is doing his job as a Chicagoan. He is paying it forward in a big way to those who may be more susceptible towards getting into trouble. One can only respect Deville for his efforts in the community. His actions reveal his tremendous character and ultimately make him stand out as a person.

As mentioned earlier, Deville does not just stand out as an individual, but he goes above and beyond as a rapper. On Maintain, Mykele Deville preaches self-preservation amidst difficult times. His emphasis on art, culture and individuality throughout the project proves to listeners that betting on yourself is crucial. You must keep your head up in order to survive in difficult times. Based on this album, it appears Deville is doing just that.

“Whispers” serves as an introduction to our setting: a divided country that has historically devalued minority groups, namely black Americans. During this track, Deville airs his grievances with racism, discrimination and the rise of Trump over an eerie drone-flavored beat. Deville’s delivery on this track is fiery and contagious. One cannot help but feel both charged up with energy and anger as this track plays along. Deville uses deliberate emphasis and flows throughout this track. The switches in rhythms and accents he implements here help to amplify his message on the song. On top of this, Deville’s lyrics are top notch on this track. The penmanship displayed on this song continues on as the record progresses.

On “Free Soul” the mood of the record begins shifting. The horrifying setting and injustices portrayed on the first song are still there, but Deville’s tone has been adjusted. Deville knows that disenfranchised Americans can succeed in today’s world. He believes they can do this by fulfilling their passion. Over the course of this song, Deville urges black Americans to not let society’s obstacles obstruct them. Be the confident, beautiful and strong individual you know you are deep down. This powerful message feels very nice over a boom-bap hip-hop beat. The production feels refreshing but really comes into its own during the chorus. The crisp drums pair well with the breezily sung vocal scatting on the hook. Overall, the track is a beautiful piece of self-empowerment that can be enjoyed by all.

The rest of this project follows a similar mood to “Free Soul.” Deville knows that life can be difficult at times but lets the listener know that it is crucial to maintain yourself. Be who you are when the going gets tough. Tracks like “You’re Enough” and “Maintain” show that even Deville struggles with self-esteem at times. No one is devoid of struggle or emotional patches. The important thing is to respond strongly to these obstacles. How you maintain yourself.

Mykele Deville’s Maintain is not only a fantastic piece of self-empowering poetry but also an extremely enjoyable piece of music. The smooth and occasionally atmospheric production sprawled across this brief record is unique but ultimately comfortable in its own skin. Deville is no different. His uncompromising personality and defense tactics shine through on this record proving that no obstacle is too large to back down from. Everyone has a beautiful heart deep down there somewhere. The key is maintaining through adversity rather than letting it wither away.