Lightshow: If These Walls Could Talk

In a city generally known for go-go music, a young man with a compelling voice has been breaking barriers in hip-hop. Yes, I said hip-hop. The nation’s capital is usually overlooked when talking about talented rap artists but this artist makes you want to double back and take a second look. From the south side of D.C., he has been pushing toward success and carrying his entire city with him through his journey. He tells a story of his struggles as a young black man in his city and paints a picture of the D.C. that most people from the area don’t see. With his authentic lyrics and his strong voice he has made a name for himself and caught the attention of big stars in the music industry.  He was born as Larinzo Williams in Southeast Washington, D.C., but has progressed into the superstar of his hometown going by the rap name “Lightshow”.

Lightshow released his latest project titled “If These Walls Could Talk” on September 25 of 2015. Life in D.C. and the struggles he faces on his rise to fame are recurring themes in his mixtapes, however in “If These Walls Could Talk” he goes down a different path shying away from what his listeners are used to. Still keeping his fans intrigued with head-nodding beats and catchy lyrics, Lightshow begins to go deeper into the message he conveys on his previous projects. He reflects on his past and and talks about how it has helped him overcome the struggles he faces on his path to success. Lightshow starts this mixtape off with a song titled “Keep It Gangsta” which is one of my personal favorites. Although the song is not upbeat like the hits we’re used to hearing from Lightshow, it sets the right tone for the mixtape and compels you to keep listening. At the beginning of the chorus, Lightshow sings: “If they real I don’t wanna be real // If they trill I don’t wanna be trill // and f*ck friends i just wanna be up // these ni**as envious they wanna be us”. The catchy tune is one of the main factors of the song’s popularity but the realness of it is also a contributing factor. “Keep It Gangsta” symbolizes Lightshow leaving certain things and people in his past that will hinder his success.

The mixtape is a timeline of events that occur on his rise to fame and there are certain tracks that relate to one another giving off a “then vs. now” kind of vibe. “Keep It Gangsta” is the “then” which was the struggles he faced at the beginning of his success and another one of my personal favorites, “Feed My Whole Crew”, is the “now” which is what is happening as he becomes more successful. This upbeat track is just one of the many songs that you’ll want to play on repeat and blast in your car or your headphones. “Feed My Whole Crew” mostly has an upbeat feeling but mellows down in the hook when Lightshow sings “I want Beamers for my b*tches, mansions for my thugs // f*ck the other side put my trust in up above”. These two lines encapsulate the track’s meaning of real friends supporting him and always being loyal and, in return he stands by them even as he gains fame and success.

Lightshow has been one of the most sought after artists from the DMV for a while now progressing through the makings of his ten mixtapes. Half of the ten were comprised of freestyles to other artists beats like on his infamous Yellow Tape & White Chalk mixtapes. On the other hand, the other half were more like albums comprised of original songs where he speaks his mind such as the album prior to his most recent project titled “The Way I See It” hosted by the founder of We The Best Music Group, DJ Khaled. Lightshow has been getting the recognition he deserves from big names in the music industry such as Khaled and fellow D.C. rapper Wale, however he is still an underground rapper. Although he has not blown up and taken the world by storm quite yet, signing to All In Entertainment and creating extraordinary and thought provoking works of art such as “If These Walls Could Talk” are big steps in the direction towards stardom. The transition and progression in Lightshow’s music through his journey is extraordinary but you don’t need to have listened to his previous projects to know that he is an artists to watch out for. Simply listening to this mixtape that I rate as a 10 out of 10 is enough to make you a fan. Take my word for it. Lightshow is the next big thing.