You’ll never catch me trying to deny that I’m a little bit biased when it comes to CT-based artists. It’s my home, it’s the people I got my start writing about and, more often than not, it’s the artists I know personally. I do my best to remove myself from that bias when I write these posts – sometimes, I do a better job than others. But, when it comes to Justin Lifshitz, all that bias is meaningless. Because, at the end of the day, he raps – and creates – better than you. Yeah, music is subjective. But that statement is just a fact.

“Final Form” dropped in January, shortly before the release of Long Story Short. Man, I remember hearing this joint and rushing to get the post off just so as many people as possible could catch the wave. Now, all these months later, it still sounds just as phenomenal as it did at the start of the year. From the prose to the delivery, from the energy to the composure – this one is a gem from top to bottom. Justin floats over Jung Adonis’ production, filling the soundscape with insightful observations and reflections. It still catches me off guard that “Final Form” is less than two minutes long. There’s an elegance to Justin’s flow, the way his demeanor couples with the lyrical content – it’s a lesson in writing and then reciting poetry. Making the most of your space, saturating the landscape with bars yet never making things feel overcrowded.

Kids, take notes.

The record finds itself on the receiving end of an official visual treatment tonight. Viewers witness Justin reciting “Final Form” in a field. Similar to the man behind the music, there’s no flash, no bells and whistles. Why? Because they aren’t necessary. The music – and the energy held within and without – is all you need to experience the record at its highest potential.

Watch the video below.