Rachael Messini, ½ of Washington Projects and formerly of Souljahz, is here with her solo debut album titled Honestly. This album is a collection of dope beats, great hooks, and meaningful lyrics that really show not only the talent that God has given Rachael but also how He has grown and matured her as an artist and as a woman. We were first introduced to Rachael when she was just a teenager and on Honestly, we get to see her shine as an adult. She has some friends who shared their talents on this album such as Deraj, Beleaf, Canon, and her brother Je’kob.
The album opens up with the title track. This joint has a fresh beat and displays Rachael’s talents as not only a wonderful vocalist but as a dope rapper. She goes from singing “Out here on my own, don’t know If I can make it through, cause I’ve got so much room to grow, gotta be careful how you handle me.” To rapping “Gotta find the beauty in it, ain’t no excuse got nothing to lose but let’s get lost in spirit.” This track definitely gives us a glimpse into what this album is all about.
“Smoking Gun” featuring her brother Je’kob was another hot joint on this album. The synopsis on this one draws a deep parallel comparing our words to bullets from a gun. She sings that the tongue is a smoking gun and that we need to be mindful of how we use our words. Rachael drops some hot bars and Je’kob adds a little something himself.
“Free” opens up with a very fresh snare drum beat that is supported by a beautiful piano playing the melody in the background. In this one, Rachael tackles the struggle that we go through when we feel like we aren’t good enough. She communicates to the listener that we have to be truthful with ourselves in the context that God alone is the root of our happiness and freedom. She reminds us that God’s grace can take away everything that we are struggling with and truly brings us freedom.
My favorite song on this album is titled “Selah.” This song was written about Rachael’s daughter. Some of you may know her personal battle with health issues that led her to live in the fear that she may never have a child. This song talks about that and much more. She writes her daughter words such as “I just want to protect you, I want to keep you safe from the scales, the mirror, everything that will say that there’s something you should change. Photoshop girls filter it out, Photoshop world. You’re beautiful, baby with that beautiful mind.”
It is a beautiful and catchy song that will have you singing the “la la’s” for a long time.
Overall, this album is a great listen that will have you dancing, bouncing, and singing whenever you think of it.
