YUNGMORPHEUS gives a call to action

The name Morpheus can relate back to one of two recognizable icons. The first, the Greek god who is associated with sleep and dreams and would appear in dreams in the form of a human. The second is the fictional character from the movie The Matrix, played by Laurence Fishburne, as well as the video game. For Florida-born rapper YUNGMORPHEUS, the inspiration behind his moniker came from the latter. This name stuck when he was in college and would walk around Boston College and in parties with circular glasses minding his own with weed on deck. The use of this stage name came in 2016 with the release of a beat tape with producer, Hann_11. With 10 projects since then and a sound and lyrical theme crafted out, YUNGMORPHEUS is back, this time with New York producer, ewonee, with Thumbing Thru Foliage, where he becomes the voice of reason.

The opening, “Ridin Dirty,” is a G-Funk track that feels as if people were transported back to the West Coast in the early ’90s. The production on “Blaqstar Farms” is a slightly compressed horn and a distorted keyboard sounding like it came from an old Black and White film. Here, Morpheus tells listeners how he’s going to take it all and that he’s the only one that can handle this. “Middle Passage” comes with a video that dropped two days prior to the album’s release. A laid-back, lofi production allows for Morpheus to put his deepest emotions on display. At the halfway point of the LP is “Harbour Blvd.” It has an upbeat production with an arpeggiated keyboard holding the main melody together while Morpheus speaks on life in the streets and interactions with police.

“Yakub’s Worst Nightmare” is a slow, eerie but funky beat. Potentially playing off of the story of Black scientist, Yakub, who, according to the Nation of Islam, created Caucasian people. Yet fast forward to now, they are the race who has taken control of many aspects of life. Despite them now being the oppressors, people are still fighting for their right to sit at the hold of control as well. Morpheus agrees by saying, “you can’t change revolutionary citizens.”

Following after is “Harlem Heat” featuring DMH. Both rappers go on to talk about how growing up and the mindset in which was formed from the experience with lines like, “I’m thankful for the journey” and “Your created that trauma, your pain digital.” The lead single, “FistfulofGreens,” had a video that was released January 2021. Another G-Funk bassline allows for Morpheus’ monotone flow to align smoothly with the track. The line, “original man who got the game plan, I ain’t switching my hands inside these strange lands,” practically sums up the entire message behind the album as a whole. Closing the album is “Johnnie Cochran,” which sounds like the album came around full circle: beginning with the old West Coast feel like you’re leaving to start the day and ending it with a hazier feel, like it is time to go home and rest for the night.

According to YUNGMORPHEUS, the album is, “…a call to action of sorts. The world is rife with distractions and oppressive tactics but niggas move through it nonetheless…Power to all Black people.” ewonee, adds, “Growing up like we did in this corporation neegas deal with a lot. Usually gotta go through the mud to get to the greens.” Hence the name for the album. Thumbing Thru Foliage is a bunch of learned lessons being brought forth for others to learn from. YUNGMORPHEUS is coming down as the voice of reason and letting listeners wake up and understand how they, too, can make it through the foliage that is our current social and political climate.