The Floridian hits the ground running after overcoming major adversity.
Life’s trials and tribulations can be fundamental in shaping the unique styles of artists and musicians. For 12 Honcho, previously known as Honcho Da Savage, the challenges he has faced fuel the fire of his breathtaking ballads. Before going on hiatus due to legal woes, the Floridian contributed significant works including “All I Know”, “ROCK WHEN I ROLL” featuring Lil Tracy, and “STICK” featuring D Savage. Following up on his 2018 EP PARALLEL UNIVERSE, Honcho showcases the progress he has made with his awe-inspiring new release, Pangea.
Demonstrating his ear for production, Pangea’s sound embodies its name, presenting otherworldly guitar ballads, dreamy vocals, and ambitious pianos from the likes Bocci, Mattthw, Profit, and more. The project’s fusion of melodies lays out an ample framework for Honcho to do what he does best, as demonstrated in “Sober (Interlude)” as he croons with heart-wrenching emotion. Ditching all percussion, Honcho simply pours his heart out: “I wanna get clean but I’m on these drugs / she wanna love me but I don’t love enough.” Reflecting on how drug use has taken a toll on his past relationships represents heavy thoughts finally escaping from his mind.
On “Alaska,” a honed riff and fluttering bells amplify his energy for a high-velocity groove. There is no shortage of this intensity with cuts like “Miles Nd Miles” and “What I Like.” He talks about his present affairs while remaining anchored in his roots with lines like, “I came from the bottom I just reminisce / my heart breaks when I picture this.” Despite celebrating how far he has made it, Honcho makes sure to leave room for more introspective cuts like “6 Seeds,” in which he writes a letter to the friends of his past: “I know we had to kill bro that shit was sinful / I miss when this life was oh so simple.” While the majority of the project maintains such an undertone, the distorted 808s of finale “Pin-Up” demonstrate that he can also construct a moshpit-style knockout.
To further enhance Pangea‘s coherence, Honcho cleverly includes several lines pertaining to different kinds of wildlife. Whether it’s “These b*tches gon’ fly like some pigeons,” or “She black and white like a panda,” he displays his continued capacity for conceptualization. As a deeply-introspective work, the emotions Honcho expresses are seemingly embedded in human nature, facilitating accessibility for all who have encountered hardship. Pangea as a symbol of humanity’s roots lies at the crux of Honcho’s most prominent theme: we must not forget what made us; instead, we must learn from it. As he aptly states, “You’d better make wise choices / you can’t bring time backwards.”