JORDN SWISHES THE NET WITH “23"
"He's the Michael Jordan of X". The phrase became an idiom that entered the global lexicon of several generations of human beings across the world. Usually found in sports analogies, but far from restricted to that realm, being the MJ23 of something is a boastful statement that is uttered in friendly hyperbole and oftentimes, in genuine appreciation for someone's immense talent and dedication in their field.
Today we're talking about a song tribute to this living legend by the L.A.-based Hip-Hop artist aptly named Jordn, who wrote the song after being inspired by his fifth re-watch of MJ's Docu-series "The Last Dance."
Jordn is not a newcomer exactly, for instance, he is a prolific collaborator and his songwriting expertise can be heard in Chris Brown's "Indigo" in themes such as “You Like That”, “Part of the Plan” and “Cheetah.” With a Debut EP well on its way, our first taste of Jordn's musical protagonism did not disappoint.
"23" Sets the tone from the very beginning, it's a chill downtempo track all the way through. The hi-hat and clap combo beats are somewhere between classic hip-hop and more modern Trap, while the driving melody is established through a classic music-box-type sound that is evocative of youth and innocence, a choice that I think reflects a lot of people's own childhood experience of watching MJ's impossible aerial feats on the court.
About the Origin of "23" Jordn had this to say:
All throughout the song, the theme of repeating Air Jordan's jersey numbers (twenty-three; Forty-Five) has a certain hypnotic draw to it, it's almost kabbalistic in its repetition; Jordn's playful and varied intonation of the numbers while employing subtle amounts of vibrato (or perhaps an equally subtle pitch shift effect, hard to tell) manages to imbue the numbers with greater emotional energy that really kicks the mysticism up a notch. Jordn had this to say: “The only thing I could think about was how much of an icon this man was and I just wanted to be like Mike all over again. The number 23 is so tied into his legacy. I think I wanted to channel that energy, which is why I kept repeating those numbers over and over. Having a brilliant work ethic, and the ability to do what you love at an extremely high level is amazing – I aspire for that.”
Jordn has a wonderful flow set to invigorating lyrics about the kind of killer dedication and belief it takes to build a living phenom like his near-namesake Hero. More importantly, his voice is refined to R&B perfection with just a hint of soulful gospel shining through at times. He doesn't just "rap" his lyrics, he truly and expertly sings his bars with wonderful enunciation, emotional conviction, and elegance; all of this sophistication notwithstanding, it's also the case that "23" has some true lyrical grit, it bites, it speaks of a legitimate -and relatable- grind about dedication, hard work, passion, and struggle. I feel the song worthy of being on gym playlists, and I think it even deserves to show up on the next NBA2k game.
MEET THE AUTHOR
Samuel Aponte is Venezuelan-born raised and based.
I joined Rival Magazine after a few years of doing PR work for independent musicians of all stripes; understanding their struggles to be heard in a sea of constant ADHD noise and paywalled access to platforms, I now bring a willingness to always appreciate and encourage the effort and creativity that artists put into their work . Can also find some of my writings on LADYGUNN and We Found New Music.