“Sometimes you gotta say goodbye to reach your full potential”. Jarrett Michael opens up his latest release, Had Yesterday Never Come, with this poignant line. His work ethic is uncanny and he is constantly in the studio cooking up new music. However, he has remained to carve out his own lane, without being influenced by current trends. Jarrett’s flows are inspiration without being preachy. He’s deep, yet still relatable. “Legendary”, the album’s first full length track details his recent struggles in life, love and his career. The production on this song is soothing, with a classical tough. 

Jarrett isn’t afraid to call out the snakes slithering in the grass on the transparent “sneak DISSIN”. “Everybody don’t know love/Lie to your face like they’re someone to trust”, he raps. Nonetheless, Jarrett is most impressive on the poetic moments, with no instrumentation, like the memorable standout “this is FAITH”. His calculated delivery and content suggests an artist wise beyond his years. Mickey Facts serves as one of two guest features on the catchy and somewhat dismal “Stratton”. 

So, which song is my favorite? That honor would have to go to “pennywise”. The song not only takes a stab at the recent resurgence of Stephen King’s classic, It, but he exudes an infectious swagger here. The circus tinged production only compliments his flows here. He’s not afraid to admit that he’s in love either. “Today, Tomorrow, Forever” is a track that finds his girlfriend singing his praises and letting her know she supports him. She cites him as her inspiration and standard for achieving greatness. However, Dracula featuring Lemi Vince, is one of the most lyrically dense songs on the project. The song’s content is creative and not as eerie as its title suggests.

Jarrett Michael closes out Had Yesterday Never Come with the nostalgic and celebratory “Cheers”. He mentions missing his family, friends and even his haters. This album is different than his previous work, because it’s the coming of age tale of a man. I’m already anxious to see what new concepts will be explored on his next album. Get your copy today on all digital retailers. 

Cheers to reflecting on yesterday, living in the now and preparing for tomorrow.