Buddy’s Debut Album Harlan & Alondra Puts his Name on the Map

Buddy is changing the game and changing the perception of what it means to be a musical artist from Compton, California. From consciously fuelled, bar filled rap songs, to Motown-like love ballads, Buddy can do it all.

The soul-filled 25-year-old uses his versatility to distinguish himself on his debut album, Harlan & Alondra. Traditionally, the musicians who have come out of Compton such as NWA, The Game, and Kendrick Lamar, have used rap mastery and aggressive lyricism to portray the realities of their neighborhood and how it has shaped them, where on Harlan & Alondra, Buddy’s ability to convey those same messages through a large variety of beats and vocal styles sets him apart. On tracks like “Hey Up There”, “Trouble on Central”, and “Shine”, Buddy’s choir routes are shown as he uses his rhythmic pop vocal abilities to touch on the adversity, doubt and struggles created from where he grew up, and how those factors have developed him today.

Buddy performing for the NPR Tiny Music Desk series

Buddy’s vocal prowess doesn’t stop there as his voice, which can move from clear and pop-influenced to raw and R&B guided with ease, is heard on funky pop ballad “The Blue”, “It’s Love”, and “Speechless”. Though his singing abilities have been noted, that should not take away from the fact that Buddy can really rap and really write. Harlan & Alondra proves that he can get on any beat with a deep bag of flows and make relevant statements while doing it. Buddy’s bars are best heard on “Black” where he shows his social consciousness, Khalid featured “Trippin'”, “Cubicle” that is blessed with the presence of 03 Greedo, and Buddy’s brief verse on “Link Up” where he proves quality over quantity with a flowing 16-second gem.

Buddy performing on NPR Tiny Music Desk Concert Series

The most impressive thing about Buddy is his seemingly unlimited ability. Buddy can jump from a Motown vocal to hard bars on the same verse with ease, and can get on everything from a trap beat to disco groove, the point is Buddy is making the music he wants to because he can. His talents give him the opportunity to execute a wide range of genres and he takes full advantage of it.

Overall, for being a generally new listener of Buddy’s I was incredibly impressed with the execution and versatility on Harlan & Alondra , as well as the curation of the album which was filled with great sounds, catchy samples, and unique melodies. On another note, it’s great to see artists like Buddy and Boogie bringing a new wave of Compton artists to the forefront. This Bumps for sure.

Standout Tracks: “Shameless”, “The Blue”, “Cubicle”, “Link Up”