JPEGMAFIA's Veteran: A Glitchy Political Statement

The 28-year-old rapper and producer JPEGMAFIA, born Barrington Hendricks, has released his fourth solo record, Veteran. The album title alludes to both his years of dedication to music and his prior service in the U.S. Air Force, a four-year commitment that took him globally. His time in the American South, particularly Alabama, profoundly shaped his views on racism.

Veteran is described as a glitchy, frantic, and confrontational album, addressing both musical and political themes. The record offers social commentary targeting music outlets and public figures, with an ideological rigor akin to N.W.A. JPEGMAFIA utilizes internet-native irony and bad-faith arguments for serious, earnest ends, as seen in tracks like "Williamsburg," which critiques gentrification.

Entirely self-produced, the album is a remarkable display of sound and texture. Tracks like "Baby I'm Bleeding" and "Rock N Roll Is Dead" utilize distortion percussively and melodically. JPEGMAFIA experiments with vocal delivery, shifting between singing and rapping in energetic bursts, reimagining soul-sampling New York rap for the digital age.

Previously based in Baltimore since 2015, JPEGMAFIA has recently relocated to Los Angeles. While Baltimore has a vibrant rap scene, his experimental production and rapid tonal shifts set him apart. His music, characterized by breakneck tempos and manipulated industrial sounds, mirrors the energy of Baltimore's club music scene.