Topaz Jones isn’t the first rapper to also sing and he isn’t the first rapper to incorporate ’70s-funk into his music, but his debut album Arcade does it in a way that you don’t hear everyday, especially in 2016. Dr. Dre and his pals may have used George Clinton’s music as source material for head-knocking, hydraulics-ready beats, but Topaz Jones sort of imagines an alternate parallel history to G-Funk. His music is more like if Parliament-Funkadelic and Earth Wind & Fire sometimes had rapping. And really his rapping is just passably good. It’s his singing that makes Arcade a standout debut. It opens with “Howlin’ the Moon” which sounds like Michael Jackson via Justin Timberlake’s FutureSex/LoveSounds, and it’s a pretty exciting thing to have a young up-and-comer from Montclair, NJ who can already croon like JT.
Montclair, NJ rapper/singer Topaz Jones released his debut album Arcade last month and that’s an excerpt from our review above. His first NYC show since its release happens December 13 at Knitting Factory. Tickets are on sale now, and proceeds benefit the Sweet Relief Musicians Fund.
It’s his only upcoming show at the moment. Stream Arcade: