Jazz Cartier is an ambitious artist. It can’t be easy being a Rapper coming out of Toronto, especially with Drake essentially claiming the city as his own. However, as Drake dominates internet memes and beefs with Meek Mill, Cartier has slipped under the radar to produce an album immersed in passion and creativity.
Hotel Paranoia is executively produced by LANTZ and Cartier himself and is saturated with themes of paranoia and misconception. The album opens with “Talk of the Town” as a haunting instrumental establishes itself whilst Cartier’s auto tuned voice declares
“I am the prince of the city, I am the talk of the town, nobody else fucking wit’ me, I am not fucking around.”
He makes his point very clear. After the success of his debut mixtape “Marauding in Paradise”, Cartier has an aspiration that the sequel will cement him as an artist not to be messed with.
As the initial track plays out we are greeted by a receptionist who checks us in to the Hotel Paranoia, and politely informs us that no one ever leaves.
As we take a tour through the corridors of Cartier’s mind the ironically named “100 Roses” begins. Cartier screams “I’m the man, now you know it” indicating paranoid insanity cemented by a need to assure whoever he is speaking to that he is the don.
As the album continues to play we are met with themes of love and loss. “Stick and Move” illustrates a picture of a man who cannot trust any female he gets remotely close to. “Illuminati Love Song” reinforces this with paranoid thoughts as Jazz asks the female in question if she’s ever danced with the devil and informs us she wants his mind and body, both of which Cartier is reluctant to give.
“Black and Misguided” sees Cartier take on a different theme to previous tracks. Cartier echoes the feelings of many mistreated African Americans as he spits
“Black and Misguided, we so attached to the violence, we feel asleep to them sirens.”
The Canadian continues to take shots at a government and police force accused of brutality and misguidance as he questions the reality of the American Dream.
Production adjusts to a faster pace as Better When You Lie commences. Cartier again directs his gaze towards a female as he demands she continues to fool him with lust. He spits about living a lie in happiness, preferring this to the harsh, undesirable reality of the truth.
The album climaxes with the eerily named “Save Me From Myself”. Spooky production is again implemented to display the darker floors of the Hotel Paranoia. Themes of depression and insanity are obvious as Jazz speaks about dealing with the derangement that comes with fame; varying his voice to scream and yells. “Dare me to jump.” Cartier goes on to comment on comparisons with Drake. He declares “I can never be 6 God, I am the sixth sense”, reinforcing his identity as the darker of the two.
On the whole, the album is very impressive. It’s a literal look into what fame and love can do. It’s a mixture of paranoia, suicidal thoughts and bravado. Some tracks are confusing, but isn’t that exactly what paranoia does? Thoughts and emotions are constantly misconceived when one’s mind is haunted by such despair, and Cartier exhibits this brilliantly.
You can listen to the full album ‘Hotel Paranoia’ below.
Words: Andrew Moore – @andrewmooree
