— South Georgia hip-hop artist, Midrange Meats kicks off 2024 with the release of his latest project Honestly, I’m Still Healing.
Hailing from the deep south town of Sylvester, Georgia, rapper Midrange Meats is the definition of a diamond in the rough. From the moment he came onto the scene, his authentic and relatable subject matter felt like food for the soul while his impeccable lyrical skills and thoughtful artistry made his music that much more exceptional. Verse after verse, project after project, the artist formerly known as Big Meats has been releasing quality music without a single speck of mediocrity in sight. Now, much to our appreciation, he has officially released his latest full-length album titled, Honestly, I’m still Healing.
Honestly, I’m Still Healing takes us on a journey through Meats’ upbringing as he reflects on its effects on his present day mentality and current circumstances.
Meats opens up the project with his November 2023 single, “Day 2 Day,” backed by somber production, courtesy of producer Joshua Dawson. As we begin to vibe with the instrumental, Midrange Meats enters the picture flawlessly complimenting the song’s production with introspective rhymes about his come up and day-to-day grind. Reminiscing on some of his earliest dreams as well as his current desires for both himself and his loved ones, this record is summed up by the hook as Meats raps, “I swear that money been the motive on a day-to-day.”
Following the opening track is the incredibly hypnotic “Big Steppa” in which Midrange Meats switches gears a bit. Showcasing his remarkable versatility with an undeniably catchy hook including some light crooning, the Sly Town virtuoso reps his city in emphatic fashion. Confidently dropping insightful gems and uplifting his community while also spitting absolute heat from start to finish, “Big Steppa” is undoubtedly one of the highlights of this album.
Next up, Midrange Meats delivers “Black Planet” — a reference to the classic Black American social media network made popular in the early 2000s. Produced by Alchemy Beats, “Black Planet” features jazz-influenced production brought together by groovy strings, smooth horns, and velvety keys, among other things. Meats then comes through chanting entrancingly over the tantalizing production before delivering a series of equally entrancing verses with a laid-back lackadaisical flow.
On “Trap Heaven”, Midrange Meats finds himself rapping over another jazzy production. With a flow reminiscent to that of Curren$y, another renowned southern lyricist, Meats dismantled the beat with surgical precision. Rapping over one of the album’s most infectious instrumentals, Midrange Meats was sure to come correct as he delivers an anthem for the hustlers with bars like,
Hustle in the winter. Summer, I’m a winner
I know homies that’s worth a million, couple turned to killers
While you n*ggas bangin on Twitter, I’mma chase these figures….
Hustle for a minute, move a little different
Keep it player and stack them digits, money to the ceiling
Different feeling when n*ggas winning, we just tryna get it
The following three tracks, “How It Goes,” “Black Man Feels,” and “Nowadays,” highlight many of the overarching themes of the entire album such as vulnerability, reflection, and ultimately, healing.
On “How It Goes” Midrange Meats flows over light and airy production in a freestyle-like structure as he touches on relatable topics like mental health, overcoming doubters, and reminiscing on his days in poverty sharing that he’s “Getting high to balance out the lows.”
“Black Man Feels” — originally released in early November 2023 — finds Meats getting vulnerable, most notably about love and relationships. He even opens the song with heartfelt croons over the album’s most somber production while also adding depth and drama with his Kendrick-like voice changes throughout.
“Nowadays”, in many ways, serves as a celebratory track as Midrange Meats not only looks back at his old days, but compares them to present day life. Over beautiful vocal sample-led production, Meats delivers an inspirational record almost saying, “We made it”, despite his apparent hunger for so much more.
Next up is the velvety smooth “Love Her Like,” produced by Joshua Dawson. Featuring a blissful guitar loop accompanied by a soothing drum cadence, Midrange Meats describes the unmatched feeling you get in the presence of a truly special significant other. As he speaks on love, selflessness, and compatibility, Meats delivers a simple, yet impactful, gem (especially with the current state of relationships) as he chants, “That he say, she say so cliche.”
Similar to “Nowadays,” the next track, “Celebrate,” also has a celebratory theme as the title would suggest. However, unlike the former, “Celebrate” has a slightly more somber tone as Meats reminisces on his arduous journey including some of his tougher times which he illustrates in the song’s chorus as he raps,
Tell the homies we gon’ celebrate. It took a lot for us to make it here
Tell the homies we gon’ celebrate. A lot of miles we had to run in here
We gon’ celebrate the wins, but still acknowledge all the loss
All the lessons that we learned, just know they all came at a cost…
As one of the most relatable tracks on the entire project, Midrange Meats gets deep in his bag on “Celebrate” wasting not a single word as he compliments the beat with genuine bars and a buttery flow reminiscent of the late great Nipsey Hussle.
The next three songs, “Place For Me,” Survivor’s Remorse,” and “L.iving O.ut V.arious E.motions” all include the only guest features on the entire album. With the help of some frequent collaborators as well as fellow members of the Southern Vigilante Music Group collective including JJay, King Savage, Homeboy, Breezy The Goat, Doole3y The Unique, & Kutsumn, Midrange Meats was able to infuse Honestly, I’m Still Healing with a jolt of vibrant energy just before it comes to a close.
Whether uplifting and inspirational like “Place For Me,” mesmerizing and anthemic like “Survivor’s Remorse,” or bold and braggadocious like “L.iving O.ut V.arious E.motions,” all three of these tracks fit seamlessly into the flow of the project with each still bringing something unique to the table.
To close out the album, Midrange Meats takes us back to his roots one last time on “Dirt Road Baby.” Highlighting his humble beginnings, Meats describes life in his deep south hometown, the generations that came before him, the country dirt roads he regularly traveled on, the oppression that has affected his community, and the southern comfort food that kept him balanced among other things. All things considered, this was the perfect way to close out such a personal and thoughtful body of work.
Yet again, Midrange Meats showcases his elite lyricism, genuine artistry, and thought-provoking substance-filled subject matter with another masterful project.
While still criminally underrated, it’s only a matter of time before Midrange Meats starts to pick up significant steam. It’s only right that you get familiar before you miss the boat.
Listen to Honestly, I’m Still Healing in its entirety right here and be sure to follow Midrange Meats on Instagram and Twitter to see what he has in store for the rest of 2024.